Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE Updates: No COVID-19 cases in Goa on Tuesday, the total number of positive coronavirus cases in the state stands at seven, the state health department said.

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Further, 28 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours. With this, the total number of deaths in the country has crossed the 100-mark.

The Union government on Monday said that there has been an increase of 704 COVID-19 cases taking the total number to 4,067 in the last 24 hours, the biggest rise so far in India.

A health bulletin said so far 256 persons in the state have tested positive for COVID-19 and 151 of them are from Indore.

These patients were already suffering from asthma, diabetes, high BP and other ailments before getting infected with COVID-19, he said.

Three men and a woman have died in the last five days in different hospitals in Indore and their test reports received on Monday revealed they were infected with COVID-19, an official of the government-MGM medical college said. Indore alone now accounts for 13 deaths.

Four more persons succumbed to the dreaded coronavirus in the city, taking the toll to 18 in Madhya Pradesh on Monday, a health official said.

According to the Union health ministry update, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India has reached 4,281. While 111 people have died, 318 patients have been cured.

The government said 11 deaths have been reported due to COVID-19 in the state, so far.

"30 more persons have tested positive for the coronavirus in Telangana, while 12 patients have been cured/discharged, today. There are 308 active cases," state health department bulletin said.

Telangana on Monday reported 30 new positive coronavirus cases, taking the total number of active cases to 308 in the state.

Banerjee also urged people not to "indulge in politics" with the figures related to COVID-19 infection and deaths.

Most of these 61 people have either returned from abroad or came in contact with someone who is a foreign returnee, she said.

"Till Monday noon, there were 61 active COVID-19 cases in West Bengal. Out of these, 55 belong to seven families," Banerjee told reporters.

So far, there are only three COVID-19 related deaths in the state, Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said 12 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the state since Saturday evening, taking the total number of active cases to 61.

The prime minister has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is the First Secretary of State, to deputise for him where necessary," the spokesperson said.

Over the course of this afternoon (Monday), the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the ICU at the hospital, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Johnson, 55, asked UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab to deputise for him as he was moved on Monday to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at St Thomas' Hospital in London, a move Downing Street said was a precaution should he require ventilation to aid his recovery.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was in the hospital due to persistent coronavirus symptoms, has been taken into intensive care after his condition worsened, Downing Street has said.

Vijayan said the nurses have requested that necessary steps be taken to separate people who are diagnosed positive for Coronavirus and those who presently have no symptoms.

"I request that the concerned state governments may be advised to urgently look into the facts and circumstances... and provide due care, attention, and necessary precautions so that the standard health protocols are followed and utmost protection is given to the health personnel who are rendering valuable service to our society," Vijayan said in the letter.

He said, five nurses at Delhi's prestigious Cancer Institute have been infected with the virus amid complaints regarding lack of PPE across the country.

In a press meet after the evaluation meet on COVID-19, Vijayan said 46 nurses from Kerala working in Mumbai have contracted the deadly virus and more than 150 nurses are under observation there.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written a letter to Modi seeking his "attention to the situation", an official said.

The Kerala government on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into reports of nurses from the state getting infected with COVID-19 in Delhi and Maharashtra allegedly due to lack of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).

Meanwhile, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has asked all zoos across the country to monitor the health of kept animals as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 after a tiger in a US zoo tested positive for the virus.

Among other precautionary measures include food provided to the animals being disinfected, the official said. "Only 50 percent of Lucknow Zoo's staff are working and they are maintaining high standards of hygiene. We are disinfecting food before providing it to animals. We have also made a quarantine ward for animals possibly infected by the COVID-19 if the need arises," said Zoo Director, Rajendra Kumar Singh.

Director of the Lucknow Zoo on Monday said the Zoo was taking additional precautionary measures for animals and its staff amid coronavirus outbreak.

Hydroxychloroquine tablet is used to prevent and treat malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, among other ailments.

I would be surprised if he would, you know, because India does very well with the United States, Trump told reporters during a press briefing at the White House on Monday.

Last week Trump said that he has sought help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the sale of Hydroxychloroquine tablets ordered by the US to treat the growing number of coronavirus patients in his country, hours after India banned the export of the anti-malarial drug.

US President Donald Trump has said he would be surprised if India did not allow the export of Hydroxychloroquine tablets to the United States despite a request made to New Delhi over the subject.

On 6 March, Union Minister of State for Shipping, and Chemical and Fertilizers, Mansukh Mandaviya had said that the government has imposed short term restrictions on some active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) with regards to coronavirus preparedness.

The notice said APIs and formulation made from these APIs are made free for export, with immediate effect. Restrictions on paracetamol have however not been lifted yet.

A notice issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry highlighted the 24 pharma ingredients and formulations. These include Tinidazole, Metronidazole, Acyclovir, Vitamin BI, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.

The Central government has removed restrictions on the export of 12 Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and their formulations, the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry said on Monday.

Nurses are particularly lacking across Africa, in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and Venezuela, it added.

There is still a global shortage of nearly 6 million nurses, mainly in low- and lower-middle-income countries, where the number of new recruits barely keeps pace with population growth, the report said.

The world’s 28 million nurses, 59 percent of all health workers, were overstretched before the crisis began, the WHO, the Nursing Now campaign, and Geneva-based council said in the first “State of the World’s Nursing Report”.

Some 100 medical workers are reported to have died from the disease so far, including many nurses, Howard Catton, CEO of the International Council of Nurses, told a news briefing.

Authorities must protect nurses and other health workers from harassment and attacks compounding the already heavy toll they are paying in the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) and top nursing officials said on Tuesday.

Last week, Special Envoy from Dominican Republic to UN Ambassador Jose Singer and President of Security Council for April said that a Council meeting on the coronavirus situation had been requested by five or six ambassadors and the Dominican Republic was working to schedule the discussion.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will participate in the session on Thursday afternoon as a briefer. It remains to be seen whether any press statement on the COVID-19 situation is issued after the meeting.

Council President for the month of April, the Dominican Republic, said it has formally scheduled a closed video-teleconferencing (VTC) "regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the issues that fall under the UNSC mandate".

The United Nations Security Council will hold a closed session on Thursday to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, the first time the powerful UN organ is holding a meeting on coronavirus that has killed more than 74,000 people and infected over 1.3 million globally.

British prime minister Boris Johnson is in hospital for tests after suffering persistent symptoms of the coronavirus, but he continues to lead the government and work on official business.

On the International platform, Air India will be operating dedicated scheduled cargo flights to China for the uplifting of critical medical equipment as per the requirement. The statement said domestic cargo operators; Blue Dart, Spicejet and Indigo are operating cargo flights on a commercial basis.

"With support from Air India, Alliance Air, IAF and private airlines, medical supplies of more than 184 tons have been delivered to date during lockdown period," a release of Ministry of Civil Aviation said.

Under Lifeline UDAN initiative of Ministry of Civil Aviation, 132 cargo flights have been operated so far across the country to transport medical cargo including to remote and hilly areas, said an official statement on Monday.

"The decision follows a telephone conversation between Trump and Narendra Modi on Saturday", claim reports.

There are currently no approved treatments, or preventive vaccines for COVID-19, the highly contagious, sometimes deadly respiratory illness caused by coronavirus.

Last month, India had banned the export of hydroxychloroquine and formulations of the malaria drug while experts test its efficacy in helping treat COVID-19 patients.

Amid rising global pressure to allow exports of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol which is being tested on patients infected with coronavirus, the government is likely to clear the move after calculating sufficient stocks for the country, sources have told CNBC-TV18.

The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India has risen to 4,421, according to the Union Health Ministry's latest data. The reported active cases of currently stands at 3,981, while the toll from the novel coronavirus pandemic has reached 114.

"There are a total of 26 coronavirus positive cases in Assam so far. We have tested 2,000 samples till date. The reports for 165 samples are pending and are expected to come by this evening," Sarma said during a press conference at NHM office.

State minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that over 2,000 samples have been tested in the state, out of which 26 tested positive for coronavirus so far.

"1,182 people have been arrested and 504 cases registered so far in Assam for violating the coronavirus lockdown," said GP Singh, Assam Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order.

As many as 1,182 people have been arrested and 504 cases registered so far in Assam for not following the lockdown restrictions imposed in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said.

In New York, the epicenter of COVID-19 in the US, the fatalities on Monday increased to 4,758 and confirmed cases to 130,000, with officials saying that new cases and deaths have now slowed down in the Big Apple.

Globally it has infected more than 13 lakhs people and resulted in the death of more than 74,000.

By Monday, more than 10,800 Americans died due to the deadly coronavirus and over 366,000 tested positive, to which top American scientists are racing against time to develop either a vaccine or a successful treatment.

The death toll in the US from the coronavirus crossed the 10,000-mark on Monday as the country entered the most difficult phase during this pandemic with officials stating that there are encouraging signs in the fight against the dreaded disease mainly due to the aggressive implementation of the mitigation measures.

The sample collection kiosk can be mounted on a vehicle and transported to any location, he said. The model can also be useful for collecting samples in COVID-19 hotspots and border checkpoints, the official said, adding that each model costs about Rs 15,000-20,000.

"The phone booth COVID-19 sample collection centre is a unique, low-cost and portable unit. It ensures the safety of health workers while collecting sample from a suspected patient," the official said.

The unit looks like a public telephone booth and will reduce manpower needed for collecting samples for coronavirus tests, he said.

In a bid to ensure safety of health workers, the West Singhbhum administration in Jharkhand has introduced an innovative portable unit for collecting samples from suspected coronavirus-infected persons, an official said.

The Prime Minister further threw light on the importance of personal fitness to stay healthy. Modi has been continuously encouraging people to show support to the doctors and paramedical staff for their selfless work during the COVID-19 threat.

On the occasion of World Health Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said we should show gratitude to the healthcare staff who are braving all odds to fight the coronavirus crisis.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus, police personnel in parts of the country have been coming up with novel ideas to spread information about the deadly viral infection and urging people to follow the lockdown and social distancing properly.

The policemen have been repeatedly telling people that if they unnecessarily step out of their houses, they may carry the virus back home along with them.

To make people aware about the severity of the viral infection, they laugh like devils and call themselves "corona demon". They have been going around the town wearing red body suits with coronavirus-like spikes on it, and warning those violating the lockdown protocol.

Two policemen in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district have been moving around streets wearing coronavirus-themed outfits to make people aware about the lethality of the disease and urging them to strictly follow the prescribed guidelines to stay protected.

All the four who tested positive were from Tissa area of Chamba district and had attended the Jamaat event in the national capital, he said.

Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said 83 samples were collected in the state on Monday and the report of 81 was out, of which four tested positive, two samples will be tested again and the rest came out negative.

Four Tablighi Jamaat members who attended a religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin have tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh, a senior health official said. With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 19.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be announcing a five-point strategy to counter the spread of COVID-19 in the national capital at 1.00 pm today, reports suggest. The strategy may include randomised testing in hotspots and quarantine centers being set up in large numbers.

On the other hand, Bajaj Finance was the sole loser.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty soared 347.95 points, or 4.30 percent, to 8,431.75. IndusInd Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, surging up to 15 percent, followed by Mahindra and Mahindra, HCL Tech, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and Infosys.

Equity benchmark Sensex rallied over 1,300 points in early trade on Tuesday led gains in bank, IT and auto stocks amid recovery in global equities. After hitting a high of 28,963.25, the 30-share BSE barometer was trading 1,127.57 points or 4.09 percent higher at 28,718.52.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland have reached 81,740 by Monday, including 1,242 patients still being treated, 77,167 patients discharged after recovery, and 3,331 people died of the disease, the NHC said.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) on Tuesday said that no death was reported on Monday. The official death toll in China is 3,331. It is a landmark in China's over two-month-long fight against the deadly virus as the country continued to report coronavirus deaths till Sunday, especially from the epicentre Hubei province.

China on Tuesday reported no new deaths from the deadly coronavirus for the first time since it started publishing figures in January but the number of imported infections increased to 983 with 32 new confirmed cases, health officials said.

With 120 new cases of COVID-19, the total number of confirmed cases in the state increased to 868 on Monday, Maharashtra Health Department informed in the daily media bulletin.

In the last 24 hours, four people have tested positive for COVID-19 out of which three are close contacts of persons who attended the Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi.

Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra has a total of twenty-five COVID-19 positive cases, as per the local administration. Twenty-one out of these twenty-five patients includes Tablighi Jamaat returnees and their close contacts.

He said the total number of coronavirus positive cases in the state has risen to 325.

While there were nine cases in Jodhpur, Jaisalmer saw 7 cases. Banswara recorded 4 cases, Jaipur (3) and Churu (1).

"24 new cases have come up today, including in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Banswara and Churu districts. All have contact and travel history," Additional Chief Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said.

The virus has so far claimed six lives in the state. However, officials maintain that deaths occurred due to co-morbidity, more than one illness or disease occurring in one person at the same time.

Rajasthan recorded 24 more cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, taking the total number of virus cases in the state to 325, an official said.

Two more cases of the novel coronavirus disease have been found in the Dharavi area of Mumbai, Maharashtra. The cases have been reported in Dr Baliga Nagar. They are the father, 80, and brother, 49, of the second case from the area. The total cases in the area now stand at four.

She advised that the zoos/deer parks in the state remain on "highest alert" and watch animals on 24x7 basis using CCTV for any abnormal behaviour/symptoms.

State Principal Chief Conservator of Forests R Sobha in communication on Monday to officials, said the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) informed about the confirmation of COVID- 19 in a tiger housed in a zoo in New York, USA.

The Forest Department in Telangana has asked zoos and deer parks in the state to be on "highest alert" while issuing a set of directives to its officers after a tiger in a New York zoo tested positive for coronavirus.

The MEA further said: "We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. We would, therefore, discourage any speculation in this regard or any attempts to politicise the matter.

In view of the humanitarian aspects of COVID-19 pandemic, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday announced that India has decided to licence Paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine in appropriate quantities to all its neighbouring countries which are dependent on its capabilities.

"Our colleague nurses and the doctors identified as COVID-19 positive are presently being treated. The hospital is currently declared containment zone by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and we are closely working with the authorities," Wockhardt Hospital said in a statement.

Several of our healthcare professionals tested positive for COVID-19 at a South Mumbai facility, ANI reports. The source of the infection is identified as a 70-year-old patient who was admitted on March 17 for a cardiac emergency. Later, he tested positive for coronavirus, said Wockhardt Hospital.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 75.92, then gained ground and touched 75.87, registering a rise of 26 paise over its previous close. On Friday, rupee had settled at 76.13 against the US dollar. The forex market was closed on Monday on account of Mahavir Jayanti.

Forex traders said a higher opening in domestic equities supported the local unit, while sustained foreign fund outflows and concerns over coronavirus outbreak weighed on the local unit.

The Indian rupee appreciated by 26 paise to 75.87 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday tracking positive opening in domestic equities.

Hundreds of suspected illegal migrants, many of them Muslims, are lodged in the detention centres in Assam after they did not figure in the controversial updated National Register of Citizens.

He also purportedly said the living conditions there were worse than those at the detention centres.

An audio clip containing a telephonic conversation purportedy between Islam and another person was doing the rounds on social media where the lawmaker was heard talking "disparagingly" about the quarantine facilities and hospitals.

Aminul Islam, the All India United Democratic Front (AIDUF) legislator from Dhing constituency was apprehended early in the morning after preliminary interrogation, state police chief Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta told PTI.

An opposition MLA in Assam was arrested on Tuesday for making "objectionable" remarks about the condition of quarantine facilities and hospitals treating COVID 19 patients, calling them worse than detention centres, police said.

"Anchors and reporters working in news channels are being specifically targeted through social media platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok and Twitter," the statement said.

This particular trend has been noticed after the electronic media recently exposed the Tablighi Jamaat link in nationwide spurt in coronavirus cases and subsequent deaths.

The news broadcasters' body said it views with "grave concern" the tendency among people belonging to a certain section of society resorting to abuses and threats against anchors and reporters working in news channels.

The NBA, in a statement released by its president Rajat Sharma, said videos are circulating on social media in which some religious preachers are naming some TV news anchors and threatening attacks on the reporters of those channels.

The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has expressed "grave concern" over the tendency among people belonging to a certain section of the society in resorting to threats against news channel journalists after the electronic media "exposed" the Tablighi Jamaat link in the nationwide spurt in coronavirus cases.

The second was a 60 year old man who had returned from Dubai but had showed no symptoms since. Both patients were tested because their contact and travel history pertained to known hotspots of the virus.

Two asymptomatic persons who finished 14 day quarantine period tested positive in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, News18 reported. Kerala has been asking the high-risk category patients to be on quarantine for 28 days so both were under quarantine, according to health official. The first person is a 19 year old student who had returned from Delhi's Nizammudin area considered a local hotspot after the Tablighi Jamaat event.

Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of cases in India. With 23 new patients in the last 24 hours, the total number of positive cases in the state rises to 891. In the last 24 hours, Sangali has reported one new case, Pune four, Anagar three, Buldhana two, Mumbai 10, Thane one and two cases.

The Congress leader observed that India should help all countries in need in the time of pandemic, but adequate quantity of the drug should be made available to Indians first. The context of his tweet was MEA's previous order of a blanket ban on a malaria drug touted to be effective against coronavirus, and a partial roleback later, after Trump threatened of a retaliation, in case exports were not opened up for the US.

Out of the total 268 coronavirus cases in the state, maximum 151 have been reported from Indore. So far, 18 people have died, including 13 from Indore, two from Ujjain and one each from Khargone, Chhindwara and Bhopal.

With this, the total number of coronavirus cases in the state capital has gone up to 74. Two persons from Bhopal have so far been discharged after recovery, he said.

Among the new patients, seven are police personnel and their family members, and five are health department employees, Bhopal's Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Sudhir Kumar Deharia said.

Twelve more coronavirus cases have been found in Bhopal, taking the number of such cases in Madhya Pradesh to 268, a health official said on Tuesday.

Cases under relevant sections of the law have been registered against all of them and further investigation has been initiated, they said.

Similarly, the officials said, in the jurisdiction of police station Khanyar, police arrested five persons for violating the restrictions.

In the jurisdiction of police stations RM Bagh and Nowgam, police arrested nine persons and also seized eight vehicles for violating the government prohibitory orders, they added.

Police arrested three persons, including a shopkeeper, and seized a vehicle for violating the prohibitory orders in the jurisdiction of police stations Nishat and Harwan.

Strict restrictions on the movement of people in Kashmir to contain the spread of coronavirus remained in force for the twentieth consecutive day on Tuesday, even as police arrested 17 persons for defying the lockdown orders here, officials said. Acting tough against violators of prohibitory orders, police on Monday arrested the 17 persons.

Bihar government Tuesday sought an explanation from 76 Health Officials after they were found to be absent from duty. They've been asked to submit their replies within 3 days explaining why action should not be taken against them under Disaster Management Act-2005 & Epidemic Disease Act-1897. Bihar government is also taking action against 122 other health officials of the state who were found to be absent from duty.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday has ordered that all accused involved in assaulting three policemen on duty amid the coronavirus lockdown in Madhya Pradesg will be booked under the National Security Act (NSA). Some youths in the old city had attacked cops with knives after they were asking locals to follow lockdown orders in Bhopal on Monday.

He was said to be suffering from Type-2 diabetes and died on April 3, according to the state nodal officer Arja Srikanth. The person, who died tested positive for coronavirus, the official said.

The 45-year old person in Kurnool did not have any travel history but was admitted to the government hospital with symptoms of COVID-19 on 1 April.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the state has now touched 304 while the active cases remained at 294, according to the bulletin issued by the Medical and Health Department on Tuesday.

A 45-year old person died of coronavirus in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, taking the toll to four even as one more case of COVID-19 was reported overnight.

The business information company tracks unemployment data on a weekly basis. According to its estimates, unemployment has risen from 8.4 percent in the week ended March 22 to 23.4 percent as of the week ended 5 April, reports moneycontrol .

Initial estimates of job data show that the coronavirus pandemic could have caused unemployment to rise to 23.4 percent, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) stated.

If a user receives a frequently forwarded message – one which has been forwarded more than five times – under the new curbs, they will only be able to send it on to a single chat at a time, reports The Guardian .

WhatsApp is set to impose a strict new limit on message forwarding as the Facebook-owned chat app seeks to slow the dissemination of fake news, the company has announced on Tuesday.

According to the officials, Punjab has 1,918 cases, Sindh 932, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 500, Gilgit-Baltistan 211, Balochistan 202, Islamabad 83 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 18.

The total number of patients who died due to COVID-19 has reached 54. As many as 429 have recovered while 28 were in critical condition, it said.

The Ministry of National Health Services, in an early morning update on its website, reported that four patients died of coronavirus in the last 24 hours.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan has sharply increased to 3,864 with more than 500 fresh infections while the death toll reached 54, the health officials said on Monday.

Arvind Kejriwal briefed the media about his 5-step programme to curb the pandemic in the National Capital on Tuesday. "We have to stay three steps ahead of the coronavirus. Hence, we have decided to implement a five-step plan to tackle the outbreak in Delhi"

Delhi chief minister that the world has seen how mass-testing has helped many countries such as South Korea. "If we don’t test, we will not know who is getting infected. There was an issue with getting testing kits, that situation is now easing. We have ordered testing kits to carry out rapid testing on one lakh people in hotspots."

Arvind Kerjirwal says that the plan is in 5 parts which can be called the '5-T's'. The first is testing, the second step is to enhancing tracing, said Delhi chief minister. He said, "We will self-quarantine, monitor and seal areas based on tracing."

The third ‘T’ in our plan is treatment, announced Delhi chief minister on Tuesday. He said that the government has converted a few hospitals only for treatment of COVID-19 patients. "We have enough patients right now to handle 30,000 active cases in the national capital. We will convert more hospitals if and when we need," he said.

"The fifth ‘T’ is tracking. I am tracking everything that is happening in Delhi right now." he said.

He also added that the Delhi government has already calculated as to how many PPE kits, ventilators and other medical equipments will be required at which stage.

He said, "I am glad that everyone is working like a team — Centre, Delhi government and all other state governments. Doctors and nurses are the most important part of this team. We have to keep them safe at any cost. People in the country must stay at home."

The fourth ‘T’ in the 5-tie plan is teamwork, said Arvind Kejriwal during the briefing on Tuesday. He noted that everyone in the country, from centre to state government and Opposition parties are working 'like a team.'

"We have submitted 2,000 numbers of the Markaz members to the police, based on the tracing of these numbers we will seal and lock down affected areas," he said. "We are increasing COVID-19 treatment centres, LNJP and GB Pant are corona hospitals and no other treatments are going on there, we have over 2400 beds."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that the government had a team of doctors and healthcare workers who were tracing people who had come in contact with positive cases, and that the police was also helping in the task.

The Mumbai Police on Monday requested the Tablighi Jamaat members to approach the BMC and inform it about their travel details or face action.

The Tablighi Jamaat's congregation in Delhi has emerged as one of the major COVID-19 hotspots in the country.

The offence was registered on a complant lodged by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at the Azad Maidan Police Station, he said.

Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against 150 people who attended the religious congregation of Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin in New Delhi last month for alleged negligent act during the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Tuesday.

The order will not be applicable to the essential and emergency services, the commissioner said. Till Monday, the Thane region, which includes Kalyan and Dombivali cities, reported 85 coronavirus cases and nine deaths.

In an order issued on Monday, Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryavanshi said it was absolutely essential to seal the borders of the two cities. Police personnel have been deployed to ensure strict implementation of the directive.

Civic authorities have ordered sealing of borders of the Kalyan and Dombivali cities in Maharashtra with immediate effect to check the spread of coronavirus.

Among the 12 new cases, four (one from Bagalkote, two from Bengaluru city and one from Bengaluru Rural) had attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Delhi from March 13-18; while three from Mandya are contacts of patients with history of attending the Jamaat congregation.

"Twelve new positive cases have been reported from last evening to this noon...Till date 175 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed. This includes 4 deaths and 25 discharges," the department said in its mid-day situation update.

Twelve new positive coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Karnataka, taking the total number of affected in the state to 175, the Health department said on Tuesday. Of the 175 positive cases, 25 have been discharged, it said.

A 45-year old man tests positive in Bhubhaneshwar in Odisha. This brings the total reported cases of coronavirus in Odisha to 22. Among the total people infected as on date, two have recovered and none have passed away.

The prohibitory order would be effective until 14 April, in addition to the already existing regulatory order issued earlier for the lockdown, the DC said in his order.

The order was issued on Monday evening by Capital Complex Deputy Commissioner Komar Dolom as people have considerably violated the protocol of total lockdown on the ground.

The Capital Complex administration in Arunachal Pradesh has imposed prohibitory order under section 144 CrPC on movement of people from Tuesday evening till 14 April.

The suggestions came after Modi reached out to several opposition leaders, including Gandhi, on Monday.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting five measures to conserve money for the fight against COVID-19, including a complete ban on media advertisements by government and PSUs for two years and suspending the Central Vista beautification project.

The man was from Jharpada and had been admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar on 4 April complaining of respiratory distress and had a history of chronic hypertension. Later, he was tested positive for coronavirus. He died on 6 April, reported ANI.

Odisha has reported its first COVID-19 death after a 72-year-old man being treated for the coronavirus died at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, said Health department on Tuesday.

India's tally of COVID-19 positive cases rose to 4,421, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday.

Mewat Civil Surgeon confirmed to ANI that 16 returnees from the Tablighi Jamaat event held recently in Delhi, tested positive for coronavirus, in Haryana on Tuesday. With 16 new cases, the tally of positive cases in Mewat stands at 30.

The bench also said it cannot take a "better policy decision" at this stage and moreover, it also does not want to interfere with the policy decisions for the next ten-fifteen days.

"We do not plan to supplant the wisdom of the government with our wisdom. We are not experts in health or management and will ask the government to create a helpline for complaints," the bench said while fixing the PIL for further hearing on 13 April.

A bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde and justices S K Kaul and Deepak Gupta, through video conferencing, was hearing the plea filed by two civil rights activists seeking enforcement of fundamental right to life for migrant workers and payment of wages to them as they have been left without work or food following the lockdown.

The Supreme Court Tuesday said it was not an "expert" body on dealing with health and management issues of migrant workers arising from the 21-day nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic and would rather ask the government to set up helpline for the needy.

The 21-day nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 March and it came into force on 25 March.

He also appealed to the people to abide by whatever decision is ultimately taken by the government and cooperate with the same spirit that has so far been evident "even if it meant to continue with some degree of hardship still beyond 14 April".

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said the final week of the ongoing lockdown is "critical" for evolving an exit strategy as data regarding the spread of coronavirus will have a bearing on the decision to be taken by the government.

Ahmedabad has reported the maximum cases at 77, followed by Surat- 19, Bhavnagar-14, Gandhinagar-13, Vadodara- 12, Rajkot-10, Patan-five, Porbandar-three, Kutch, Mehsana, and Gir Somnath- two each, and Chhota Udepur, Anand, Sabarkantha, Jamnagar, and Morbi- one each.

Anand and Sabarkantha districts reported their first cases on Tuesday. With this, coronavirus cases have now been reported from 17 districts out of the total 33 in the state.

Out of 19 new cases, 13 have been reported from Ahmedabad, three from Patan, and one each from Bhavnagar, Anand and Sabarkantha, Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi said.

The number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat jumped to 165 on Tuesday, with 19 more people testing positive for the viral infection in the state, an official said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday declared a state of emergency to fight new coronavirus infections in major population centres and unveiled a stimulus package he described as among the world's biggest to soften the economic blow. His cabinet will also finalise the stimulus package worth 108 trillion yen ($990 billion) - equal to 20 percent of Japan's economic output.

A lot of state governments, as well as experts, are requesting the Central Government to extend the lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic in India. The Centre is considering this decision, say government sources, reports CNN-News18.

Earlier on Monday, the BMC declared the city's Wockhardt Hospital a containment zone after three doctors and 26 nurses tested positive for coronavirus within a span of one week.

Sources also told ANI that along with the tea seller, four more people residing in his building have been put into a quarantine facility by the authorities.

The civic body has also put up posters informing the same near the government guest house. According to Mumbai police sources, the Maharashtra Chief Minister's security personnel deployed at Matoshree, who were the frequent visitors to the tea stall, have been kept in isolation as a precautionary measure.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sealed off the Kalanagar area in Mumbai's Bandra East after a tea seller was suspected to have contracted COVID-19 near a government guest house, located near Matoshree, the private residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Among the accused, 42 were arrested, while three were released on bail, he said. The incident took place in Karampur Chaudhary area in Izzatnagar when two policemen had gone to enforce the lockdown and were attacked.

"An FIR was registered against 150 persons on Monday night under relevant sections of IPC for attacking policemen and trying to set ablaze police outpost," Superintendent of Police, City, Ravindra Kumar said.

An FIR was registered against 150 people for allegedly attacking a police team trying to enforce lockdown in Izatnagar area here, police said on Tuesday. Forty-two people were arrested in this connection, out of which three women were released on bail.

"An inquiry by a sitting or retired Supreme Court judge should be conducted in the Nizamuddin episode to make clear who all are responsible. Those who are at fault should be booked and punished. It will also make clear whether there was any mistake on part of the administration," Gehlot told PTI.

He said questions should not be raised on the ground of religion because any person from any caste or community can commit a mistake and only those at fault should be punished.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday demanded an inquiry by a sitting or retired Supreme Court judge to fix responsibility for the Delhi congregation of Tablighi Jamaat.

Taking note of it, an FIR has been registered against 40 people for violating lockdown norms, he said, adding that a strict action will be taken against those found flouting the government orders.

"While people across the country lit earthen lamps and candles on the prime minister's call, some people in Tulsipur Bazar here came out on the roads in large numbers," ASP Arvind Kumar Mishra.

Millions of Indians across the country switched off lights at their homes and lit candles and diyas or turned on mobile phone torches on Sunday night, responding to Modi's appeal to show the nation's "collective resolve and solidarity" in its fight against coronavirus.

A case has been registered against 40 people in this district of Uttar Pradesh for defying lockdown norms and coming out on the roads despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's request to lit lamps indoors, police said on Tuesday.

"The approved one will be used for making this overall by other workshops.Facilities are being geared up in Railways to make up to 1,000 such protective overalls for railway doctors and paramedics every day. Around 17 workshops would be striving to contribute to this exercise."

The Ministry of Railways on Tuesday said that the Indian Railways has taken up the production of a personal protective equipment-type 'overall'. An overall produced by Jagadhari workshop was recently cleared by a DRDO lab.

SpiceJet operated India’s first cargo-on-seat flight, carrying 11 tons of vital supplies in passenger cabin and belly space from Delhi to Chennai. B737 passenger aircraft to do five rotations on Tuesday carrying crucial supplies, the airlines said.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Assam government on a plea seeking the release of people from detention centres in the state who have completed more than two years to avoid spreading of coronavirus, "as centres are overcrowded", ANI reported.

"Screened five crore people out of around 7.50 crore population. 15,000 tests have been done in different districts. Rs 25 crore incentive planned for doctors and health workers," he said.

"We held meetings with all political parties,doctors, Army, IAF, Railway, CRPF, CISF, and medical universities. We've somewhat managed to keep cases under control,though they are still coming. We've made control rooms at state level for monitoring. I'm also personally monitoring.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said that the state government had taken immediate precautions in the state to control the coronavirus pandemic "from the beginning".

Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of cases in India. With 23 new patients in the last 24 hours, the total number of positive cases in the state rises to 891. In the last 24 hours, Sangali has reported one new case, Pune four, Anagar three, Buldhana two, Mumbai 10, Thane one and two cases.

Three deaths have been reported in Pune on Tuesday, the district magistrate said. All patients were COVID-19 positive and are cases of comorbidity. Toll in Pune has risen to eight.

The Union health ministry on Tuesday said that so far, 326 coronavirus patients across the country have been discharged after recovery. There are 4,421 COVID-19 positive cases in the country, including 354 cases in the last 24 hours.

The Union health ministry on Tuesday, in its daily briefing on the coronavirus pandemic situation in the country, said that the Centre has been "adopting a strategy for cluster containment and for outbreaks that are amenable to management. This strategy is producing positive results, especially in Agra, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Pathanamthitta, Bhilwara and East Delhi," said Lav Aggarwal, Union Health Ministry.

"They are making 375 isolation beds daily and this is going on across 133 locations across the country," said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry.

The Indian Railways has prepared 40,000 isolation beds in 2,500 coaches, the Union health ministry said in its briefing on Tuesday.

"The status of essential goods and services is by and large satisfactory. The home minister conducted a detailed review of the status of essential commodities and lockdown measures, he gave directions to take appropriate measures and ensure hoarding and black marketing is not done," said PS Srivastav of the MHA.

The Union health ministry said that the COVID-19 care centres for those with mild symptoms or suspected cases, while the COVID-199 health centres are for those at the clinically moderate stage.

The Union health ministry quoted an ICMR study as saying that if someone doesn't follow social distancing then in 30 days a single infected person can infect 406 people. 2.5 persons will be infected if social distancing maintained by a single individual, Joint Secretary Lav Aggarwal said.

ICMR's R Gangakhedkar said that 1,07,006 tests have been conducted for coronavirus so far. Currently, 136 government labs are working and 59 private labs have been given permission.

Nepal on Tuesday extended the ban on international flights till 30 April, whereas, the ban on domestic flights to remain in effect till 15 April.

In light of the coronavirus outbreak, students of classes 1 to 9 of the Jammu division in Jammu and Kashmir are to be promoted to next class and all examinees, who appeared in the Class 11 examination falling under will be promoted to Class 12, the Jammu school education department said.

He also said that the pharma ministry is monitoring the situation, adding, "...assure you we have sufficient quantity (of the drug)."

Lav Aggarwal, health ministry joint secretary, said that the hydrochloroquine drug is being used only in particular cases for critical patients and health workers.

The Delhi government has given the phone numbers of 1,950 people connected to the Tablighi Jamat event to the Delhi Police, a statement said.

According to reports, they said that the Uddhav Thackeray governemnt should look at the way Kerala is handling the crisis to understand why the mortality rate in Kerala is low.

In a meeting of the Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday, state ministers expressed concern over the high mortality rate in COVID-19 patients in the state. The state is the worst-hit, with the toll touching 50.

Reports said that in a meeting of the Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday, ministers said that the decision on whether the lockdown over coronavirus should be extended in the state is still to be taken and that a call will be taken depending on the state's position in the coming days.

In a meeting on the situation, the Maharashtra cabinet also reportedly discussed the issue of migrants stuck in the state.

BMC commissioner Praveen Pardeshi on Tuesday made a presentation before the state cabinet about the situation of coronavirus in Mumbai.

He also said that of the new cases, four people had returned from abroad, two are attendees of the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi and three people were affected from contact.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that nine people tested positive for coronavirus in the state on Tuesday, of which four are from Kasargod, three are from Kannur, one each from Kollam and Malappuram.

Tamil Nadu health secretary Beela Rajesh said that 69 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases to 690. Of the new 69 new cases, 63 cases are related to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, which has become one of the hotspots for coronavirus in the country.

"For this purpose, a central database of clinical and laboratory parameters of hospitalised COVID-19 cases is being created. All hospitals currently managing COVID-19 patients are invited to become partners in the network," the statement added.

"Its goal is to enhance clinical understanding of COVID-19 to develop specific clinical management protocols and further research and development for therapeutics," the ICMR said.

The ICMR on Tuesday said that the national task force set up to tackle the coronavirus pandemic in the country has recommended establishing an 'India COVID-19 Clinical Research Collaborative Network” which will be coordinated by ICMR.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that the toll due to coronavirus rose to five in the state on Tuesday, after two more patients passed away. Eight new active cases were reported on Tuesday, taking the number of active cases to 69 in the state.

"All those coming inside the state after lockdown is removed will first be kept in quarantine... I would rather call these centres "safe houses" instead of quarantine centres," she added.

Mamata Banerjee said that if the complete nationwide lockdown over coronavirus is "abruptly removed" in West Bengal, migrant workers stuck outside the state will start pouring in and people will violate social distancing. "It will create health hazards," she said.

The Haryana health department said that 33 new coronavirus positive cases have been reported in the state on Tuesday. Total coronavirus positive cases in the state stand at 129, which includes two deaths and 17 people who have now been discharged.

He added that of the 468 Tablighi Jamaat attendees who came back to Punjab from Delhi, 448 have been traced and 15 have tested positive for COVID-19.

Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that the state government has planned to buy 10 lakh rapid testing kits, adding that the total cases of coronavirus are 99 in the state as of Tuesday, after eight more cases were reported.

He also wrote to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking her personal intervention to revive manufacturing and loading at the jute mills in her state against the pending indents for gunny bales placed by Punjab government, a statement by the Punjab CMO said.

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said that it has set up a control room for the coordination and for providing logistic support during the upcoming wheat harvesting and marketing season, which is set to begin on 15 April under tight security and safety measures to ensure smooth operations amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The Union health ministry said that 508 more COVID-19 positive cases and 13 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. India's positive cases rise to 4,789 (including 4312 active cases, 353 cured/discharged/migrated people and 124 deaths).

The statement also said that 10,317 Isolation beds are ready and available and 2,666 ICU beds are available.

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday said that currently there are 3,02,795 N-95 masks available in the state, and 41,400 personal protective equipment (PPEs) are available.

The BMC said that 100 new COVID-19 cases and five new deaths have been reported in Mumbai on Tuesday, the toll in the city rose to 40. The total number of positive cases in Mumbai stand at 590.

Reports said that the BMC is likely to disallow vegetable vendors in containment zones in Mumbai, which are 241 where COVID-19 positive patients have been found. Because people have not adhered to the guidelines of the lockdown to go to the market, the BMC said it had decided that streetside vegetable vendors won't be allowed in the zones

The Assam government on Tuesday announced a 30 percent cut in the salaries of the chief minister, ministers and MLAs for one year to save money for fight against COVID-19, PTI reported.

But his condition rapidly deteriorated over the next 24 hours, and he was moved on Monday to an intensive care unit, where the most serious cases are treated, in case he needed to be put on a ventilator. He was still conscious, his office said.

Johnson, 55, was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital across the River Thames from the House of Commons late on Sunday after suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms, including a high temperature and a cough, for more than 10 days.

British prime minister Boris Johnson was stable in intensive care on Tuesday after receiving oxygen support to help him battle COVID-19, while his foreign minister led the government’s response to the outbreak.

Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu said that 100 Ola cabs and 100 Uber cabs will be used for medical emergency in Bengaluru.

US president Donald Trump criticised the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s action plan over the coronavirus pandemic and said the "largely US-funded organisation" was being "very China-centric".

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that in the last 24 hours, 25 new cases of coronavirus and 2 deaths have been reported in the National Capital.

The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune has validated seven antibody-based rapid tests for coronavirus and found them to be satisfactory, ANI reported on Tuesday.

He added, "After 1 March, whoever visited Markaz Nizamuddin should inform their concerned police stations. If they don't do so it will be considered as concealment of facts and legal action will be taken against the violators."

Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa said that all hospitals must inform the police, the Delhi health department the COVID-19 authorized hospitals if they admit any COVID-19 positive patient. "If this is not followed it will be considered as concealment of facts and legal action will be taken," he said.

ANI reported that taxi drivers in Bengaluru said that they are struggling to pay for their loans with no income amid COVID-19 lockdown. Sunder Kumar said, "I don't have any work currently. How will I pay EMIs in coming months? Banks also continue to add interest on EMIs. The government should help us."

The Delhi government issued an order on Tuesday to provide a compensation of Rs 1 crore for doctors, nurses, and sanitation workers if the death will occur due to COVID-19.

"Restrictions are applicable in the areas which fall in jurisdiction of police stations such as Kondhwa, Swargate, Khadak, and Faraskhana. These areas were sealed by Pune Municipal corporation yesterday. Restrictions to be imposed from 7 pm on Tuesday to 14 April," the statement said.

Pune Police on Tuesday imposed restrictions in several areas of the city to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Shops related to essential services (excluding medicals and hospitals) to remain open from 10 am to 12 pm (for 2 hours only), the police said.

The Maharashtra health department said that 150 more COVID-19 positive cases were reported in the state on Tuesday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 1,018.

The Gujarat government said that 19 COVID-19 positive cases and two deaths have been reported in the state on Tuesday. Both the deceased had comorbidity condition. Total positive cases in the state stand at 175.

The Jammu and Kashmir government said that 125 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir as of 6 pm on Tuesday. This includes 118 active cases, four recovered patients and three deaths.

No COVID-19 cases in Goa on Tuesday, the total number of positive coronavirus cases in the state stands at seven, the state health department said.

For the first time, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued guidelines for sample collection sites for COVID-19 testing. Few state governments had suggested establishing sample collection sites, over which ICMR said it has no objection and released an advisory.

A 14 month old chil who had tested positive for coronavirus in Gujarat's Jamnagar, passed away on Tuesday evening, reports said .

“Behind every one of those numbers is an individual. There’s a family, there’s a mother, there’s a father, there’s a sister, there’s a brother. So a lot of pain again today for many New Yorkers,” he said.

The deadliest terror attack on US soil killed 2,753 people in the city and 2,977 overall, when hijacked planes slammed into the twin towers, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field on 11 September, 2001. New York state recorded 731 new coronavirus deaths, its biggest one-day jump yet, for a statewide toll of nearly 5,500, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus eclipsed the number of those killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11, health officials said Tuesday. At least 3,202 people have died in New York from COVID-19, according to the count released by the city.

The Delhi government said that 51 fresh cases of coronavirus were reported in the National Capital in the last 24 hours.

The thinking in the government is that schools and colleges will more less remain shut till end of June as the summer vacation will start from middle of May.

A meeting of the GoM chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and participated by Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman concluded that religious centres, shopping malls and educational institutions must not be allowed to resume normal functioning at least for four weeks from April 14 when the current lockdown ends.

A Group of Ministers on COVID19 on Tuesday recommended extension of closure of all educational institutions and restricting all religious activities having public participation till May 15 irrespective of whether the government extends the 21-day lockdown or not, PTI reported.

A DRDO made disinfectant chamber was today deployed at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. The chamber uses a solution that is known to kill COVID-19 and will help in controlling the spread of coronavirus.

Two more villages (Gund-Jehangeer and Naidkhai) in Bandipora district were declared as red zones and their surrounding villages as buffer zones to prevent the spread of coronavirus after two persons from these villages had tested positive for COVID-19 in past 2 days, the Jammu and Kashmir government said.

For the first time, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued guidelines for sample collection sites for #COVID19 testing. Few state governments had suggested establishing sample collection sites, over which ICMR said it has no objection & released an advisory. pic.twitter.com/GsmtWgTf01

For the first time, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued guidelines for sample collection sites for COVID-19 testing. Few state governments had suggested establishing sample collection sites, over which ICMR said it has no objection and released an advisory.

A 14 month old chil who had tested positive for coronavirus in Gujarat's Jamnagar, passed away on Tuesday evening, reports said .

“Behind every one of those numbers is an individual. There’s a family, there’s a mother, there’s a father, there’s a sister, there’s a brother. So a lot of pain again today for many New Yorkers,” he said.

The deadliest terror attack on US soil killed 2,753 people in the city and 2,977 overall, when hijacked planes slammed into the twin towers, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field on 11 September, 2001. New York state recorded 731 new coronavirus deaths, its biggest one-day jump yet, for a statewide toll of nearly 5,500, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus eclipsed the number of those killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11, health officials said Tuesday. At least 3,202 people have died in New York from COVID-19, according to the count released by the city.

The Delhi government said that 51 fresh cases of coronavirus were reported in the National Capital in the last 24 hours.

The thinking in the government is that schools and colleges will more less remain shut till end of June as the summer vacation will start from middle of May.

A meeting of the GoM chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and participated by Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman concluded that religious centres, shopping malls and educational institutions must not be allowed to resume normal functioning at least for four weeks from April 14 when the current lockdown ends.

A Group of Ministers on COVID19 on Tuesday recommended extension of closure of all educational institutions and restricting all religious activities having public participation till May 15 irrespective of whether the government extends the 21-day lockdown or not, PTI reported.

Another COVID-19 case has been reported in Assam, reports said, adding that the patient is from the Hailakandi district with a travel to Saudi Arabia. The total number of COVID-19 patients in Assam now stands at 28, said Assam Mminister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Figure of action taken across the state of Assam #lockdown by @assampolice till April 7th, 2000 Hrs @DGPAssamPolice @CMOfficeAssam pic.twitter.com/AWPHjMuvUW

#WATCH A DRDO made disinfectant chamber was today deployed at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. The chamber uses a solution that is known to kill #COVID19 & will help in controlling the spread of coronavirus. (Video source - DRDO) pic.twitter.com/Qx6wNlq1Vd

A DRDO made disinfectant chamber was today deployed at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. The chamber uses a solution that is known to kill COVID-19 and will help in controlling the spread of coronavirus.

No new cases were found in Noida Sector 8. Only as a precautionary measure of 'cluster containment' where previous cases have been found, people have been shifted and will be put under observation for welfare of them and their surroundings. Request you to dispel rumours, said Gautam Budh Nagar DM.

Two more villages (Gund-Jehangeer and Naidkhai) in Bandipora district were declared as red zones and their surrounding villages as buffer zones to prevent the spread of coronavirus after two persons from these villages had tested positive for COVID-19 in past 2 days, the Jammu and Kashmir government said.

Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: No COVID-19 cases in Goa on Tuesday, the total number of positive coronavirus cases in the state stands at seven, the state health department said.

The Delhi government issued an order on Tuesday to provide a compensation of Rs 1 crore for doctors, nurses, and sanitation workers if the death will occur due to COVID-19.

US president Donald Trump criticised the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s action plan over the coronavirus pandemic and said the "largely US-funded organisation" was being "very China-centric".

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday said that currently there are 3,02,795 N-95 masks available in the state, and 41,400 personal protective equipment (PPEs) are available.

The statement also said that 10,317 Isolation beds are ready and available and 2,666 ICU beds are available.

The Union health ministry said that 508 more COVID-19 positive cases and 13 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. India's positive cases rise to 4,789 (including 4312 active cases, 353 cured/discharged/migrated people and 124 deaths).

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that the toll due to coronavirus rose to five in the state on Tuesday, after two more patients passed away. Eight new active cases were reported on Tuesday, taking the number of active cases to 69 in the state.

Ministers of the Maharashtra government on Tuesday discussed the need for “more aggressive testing” of coronavirus in the state. According to reports, the government is likely to seek more labs for testing.

In a meeting of the Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday, state ministers expressed concern over the high mortality rate in COVID-19 patients in the state. The state is the worst-hit, with the toll touching 50.

According to reports, they said that the Uddhav Thackeray governemnt should look at the way Kerala is handling the crisis to understand why the mortality rate in Kerala is low.

ICMR's R Gangakhedkar said that 1,07,006 tests have been conducted for coronavirus so far. Currently, 136 government labs are working and 59 private labs have been given permission.

The Union health ministry on Tuesday said that so far, 326 coronavirus patients across the country have been discharged after recovery. There are 4,421 COVID-19 positive cases in the country, including 354 cases in the last 24 hours.

A lot of state governments, as well as experts, are requesting the Central Government to extend the lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic in India. The Centre is considering this decision, say government sources, reports CNN-News18.

Odisha has reported its first COVID-19 death after a 72-year-old man being treated for the coronavirus died at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, said Health department on Tuesday.

Civic authorities have ordered sealing of borders of the Kalyan and Dombivali cities in Maharashtra with immediate effect to check the spread of coronavirus.

Arvind Kejriwal briefed the media about his 5-step programme to curb the pandemic in the National Capital on Tuesday. 'We have to stay three steps ahead of the coronavirus. Hence, we have decided to implement a five-step plan to tackle the outbreak in Delhi'.

WhatsApp is set to impose a strict new limit on message forwarding as the Facebook-owned chat app seeks to slow the dissemination of fake news, the company has announced on Tuesday. WhatsApp is to limit sharing of frequently forwarded messages to only one chat at a time.

Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of cases in India. With 23 new patients in the last 24 hours, the total number of positive cases in the state rises to 891. In the last 24 hours, Sangali has reported one new case, Pune four, Anagar three, Buldhana two, Mumbai 10, Thane one and two cases.

In view of the humanitarian aspects of COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday announced that India has decided to license Paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine in appropriate quantities to all its neighbouring countries which are dependent on its capabilities.

Two more cases of the novel coronavirus disease have been found in the Dharavi area of Mumbai, Maharashtra. The cases have been reported in Dr Baliga Nagar. They are the father, 80, and brother, 49, of the second case from the area as total cases in Dharavi stand at four.

As many as 1,182 people have been arrested and 504 cases registered so far in Assam for not following the lockdown restrictions imposed in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said.

Amid rising global pressure to allow exports of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol which is being tested on patients infected with coronavirus, the government is likely to clear the move after calculating sufficient stocks for the country, say reports.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday hinted at a possible retaliation if India does not lift its hold on the export of Hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug used in the treatment of coronavirus patients.

While India has lifted restrictions on the export of 24 pharmaceutical ingredients and medicines made from them, it is not clear what prompted the move. However, Reuters has quoted Indian government sources as saying that the bans had prompted intense pressure from the United States.

The Union government on Monday said that there has been an increase of 704 COVID-19 cases taking the total number to 4,067 in the last 24 hours, the biggest rise so far in India.

Further, 28 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours. With this, the total number of deaths in the country has crossed the 100-mark.

The total number of positive cases in India includes 3,851 active cases, 318 cured/discharged/migrated people and 111 deaths.

Out of the total deaths, 73 percent of deaths were of males, and 27 percent were of females, the health ministry said in a media briefing. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary in the health ministry, also said that 63 percent of deaths were of people aged 60 years and above, 30 percent were of people between 40 and 60 years, and seven percent were of people below 40 years of age.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Union ministers through video conferencing, and asked them to prepare a list of ten major decisions and 'ten priority areas of focus' once the lockdown ends. Modi said that Central ministries should prepare a business continuity plan and asked all departments to maintain an objective index on how their work will promote 'Make in India.'

The Cabinet has approved an ordinance amending the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, which will result in the reduction of allowances and pension of the politicians by 30 percent from 1 April, 2020 for a year.

State-wise figures

The number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to 781, with 33 people more people testing positive for the disease on Monday, a health official said.

Among the new cases, 19 were reported from Pune city, 11 from Mumbai and one each from Satara, Ahmednagar and Vasai (in Palghar district), said the official.

"The state health department on Monday received reports of 33 people testing positive for coronavirus. With this, the state tally increased to 781, he said.

The state has so far reported 45 deaths due to the viral disease.

Gujarat reported 16 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 144, a health department official said.

Ten of these new patients have direct or indirect link to religious congregation organised by Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin in Delhi last month, Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi said.

Of the 16 new cases, 11 are from Ahmedabad, two from Vadodara, and one each in Mehsana, Patan and Surat.

Tamil Nadu health secretary Beela Rajesh said that 50 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in the state on Monday, taking the total cases to 621. 48 of the new cases are connected to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, 570 of the total COVID-19 cases are Tablighi Jamaat returnees.

Follow LIVE updates on the coronavirus outbreak here

The Karnataka government said that as of 5 pm on Monday, 12 new coronavirus cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases to 163 in the state. Additionally, the state has reported four deaths while 20 people have recovered.

The health bulletin said that the government is still trying to get details of whether the COVID-19 cases in Mysuru with travel history to Delhi are connected to the Tablighi Jamaat event, adding that one of the 12 new cases from Bangalore Rural attended the event and returned on 20 March.

In Delhi, cases of coronavirus rose to 532 after 20 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said. Of the new cases, 10 are attendees of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in the Nizammudin area of the National Capital.

Additionally, he said one patient had died in the last 24 hours and 25 others are on ventilators. The total number of deaths is at 7 now.

Administrative measures

The Delhi Police shifted 17 pregnant women to different hospitals in the national capital amid the lockdown imposed to combat the coronavirus threat, officials said on Sunday.

"The PCR vehicles of Delhi Police shifted as many as 17 women, who were in labour, to various hospitals in the city," Deputy Commissioner of Police (PCR) Sharat Kumar Sinha said.

Four calls about pregnant woman going into labour were received from west Delhi, three from outer-north, three from Dwarka, two from east Delhi, two from outer part of the city, one from northeast, one from northwest and one from south Delhi, the DCP said.

In Bengaluru, the South Western Railways said that a 50-bedded hospital for COVID-19, with six ICU beds, has become fully operational at Divisional Railway Hospital.

In Goa, the fisheries department has decided to allow sale of fish in the state from Monday, with certain riders, including strict implementation of social distancing guidelines the curb the spread of coronavirus.

Fish is a key kitchen staple of people in the coastal state and its sale was banned since the enforcement of lockdown last month.

Goa Fisheries Minister Philip Neri Rodrigues told PTI that the stock of fish caught before the imposition of ban is lying at different cold storages in the state.

However, the traditional fish markets will continue to be closed to contain the spread of coronavirus, he said, adding that they are trying to work out modalities on how to allow people to buy fish without the markets being opened.

Global picture

The number of the coronavirus cases in Pakistan reached 3,277 with the infections in the worst-hit Punjab province approaching 1,500 despite government claims that the ongoing lockdown in the country has slowed down the spread of the deadly virus.

Ministry of National Health Services said that 50 patients have so far died of the disease, while 257 people have recovered.

Punjab recorded 1,493 cases, Sindh 881, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 405, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 210, Balochistan 191, Islamabad 82 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 15.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he will declare a state of emergency for Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday to bolster measures to fight the coronavirus, but that there will be no hard lockdowns.

Abe also told reporters Monday that his government will launch a 108 trillion yen ($1 trillion) stimulus package — Japan’s largest ever and nearly twice as much as expected — to help counter the economic impact of the pandemic, including cash payouts to households in need and financial support to protect businesses and jobs.

Abe said experts on a government-commissioned task force urged him to prepare to declare a state of emergency, with the COVID-19 outbreak rapidly expanding in major cities including Tokyo, and hospitals and medical staff overburdened with patients. He said the state of emergency will cover Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and four other hard-hit prefectures, and will be in effect for about a month.

With inputs from agencies