Here are the top developments: 1 India Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the next 3-4 weeks are critical to determine impact of steps taken till now to curb the coronavirus spread and urged state governments to ensure strict adherence to the lockdown.

The number of coronavirus cases in the country could have increased to 8.2 lakh by April 15 had India not implemented a lockdown and other containment measures, the Union health ministry said.

A total of 586 hospitals in the country have been marked as dedicated COVID-19 hospitals with capacity of over one lakh isolation beds and 11,500 ICU beds reserved for coronavirus patients, the Union health ministry said.

The home ministry has directed the states and Union territories to ensure adequate police protection to doctors and medical staff going to hospitals or quarantine centres during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Railways has converted 5,000 coaches into isolation wards for those infected with coronavirus and is likely to deploy them in rural areas after consultation with the health ministry.

The ministry of information and broadcasting has asked all broadcasters, DTH providers, multiple system operators, local cable operators to continue to provide uninterrupted services to the subscribers. 2 States Maharashtra: 92 new positive cases was reported in Maharashtra. The state tally of infected people has climbed to 1,666, recording the highest number of coronavirus case in India.

Uttar Pradesh: The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Uttar Pradesh climbed to 448, with 15 fresh cases reported.

J&K: Jammu and Kashmir reported 17 fresh coronavirus infections, taking the total number of cases to 224.

Andhra Pradesh: The COVID-19 cases went past the 400 mark to 405 in Andhra Pradesh with 24 new cases of the virus reported in last 24 hours.

Rajasthan: The state recorded 117 new cases of coronavirus, taking the tally in the state to 678.

Gujarat: The number of coronavirus positive patients in Gujarat rose to 432 after 54 new cases emerged.

Karnataka: Eight new positive cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Karnataka, taking the total number of affected in the state to 215.

Puducherry: The Union Territory of Puducherry reported its first COVID-19 death with a 71-year old man, hailing from Mahe, succumbing to the infection. Seven people have tested positive for the virus in Puducherry, so far.

Jharkhand: Three more COVID-19 cases were reported in Jharkhand, taking the total number of people afflicted with the dreaded disease to 17 in the state.

Odisha: Odisha has reported two fresh COVID-19 positive cases taking the total number to 50, while 12 coronavirus patients have recovered in the state.

Kerala: Ten more people tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 228.

West Bengal: The state government informed that there are 95 active coronavirus cases, so far.

Himachal Pradesh: Two new positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in Himachal Pradesh, taking the total cases to 32 in the state.

Punjab: Seven more people tested positive for coronavirus in Punjab, taking the total number of cases in the state to 158.

Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu reported one more COVID19 death, taking the toll from the virus to 10. The state government said 58 fresh coronavirus cases were reported, with the total number of positive cases reaching 969. 3 World The United States became the first country to report more than 2,000 coronavirus deaths in a single day, marking a grim milestone as billions around the world celebrated the Easter holiday weekend under lockdown from home. On Friday, the United States reported 2,108 new deaths.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is on the road to recovery at a London hospital ward, taking short walks after he tested positive for the coronavirus.

Britain announced another 917 deaths in hospital of people testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the country's total toll close to 10,000. The number of new infections from the disease climbed by 5,234, leaving Britain with 78,991 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Iran began reopening government offices after a brief nationwide lockdown to help contain the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, which has killed more than 4,300 people in the country. The ministry meanwhile reported another 125 deaths, bringing the overall toll to 4,357.

Spain registered a fall in its daily death toll from the new coronavirus for a third consecutive day with 510 people dying. The update for the last 24 hours raised the country's overall number of fatalities to 16,353.

China has reported 46 new coronavirus cases, including four local and 34 asymptomatic infections, while three more people have died due to the global pandemic, taking the death toll in the country to 3,339.

Pakistan is set to receive more medical supplies from China to fight the coronavirus outbreak in the country where the COVID-19 cases have sharply increased to 4,892 and death toll reached 71.

Twenty employees of the Presidential Palace in Kabul have contracted the coronavirus taking the total count of infections in Afghanistan to 555, with 18 fatalities.

NEW DELHI: Interacting with chief ministers via video conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said there seems to be a consensus amongst states on extending by another two weeks the ongoing nationwide lockdown , which began on March 25 and was to end on April 14. Meanwhile, India's total cases of coronavirus climbed to 7,529 including 242 deaths, said the Union ministry of health.