Here are the top developments: 1 NATION Number of coronavirus cases in India is 724 with a death toll of 17, said health ministry.

The Prime Minister's Office directed Union ministers to file a daily report on various measures being taken to contain COVID-19.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba asks states to urgently strengthen surveillance of international travellers who entered the country before lockdown.

Medical entrance exam NEET postponed due to coronavirus lockdown.

Army distributes rations to migrants and daily wage workers in Kashmir.

Visa announces compulsory leave without pay of up to 3 days for senior employees.

CERT-In says there is a spurt in cyberattacks on personal comps since 'work from home' protocol began amid lockdown.

President asks Governors, Lt Governors to engage Red Cross and religious bodies to contain COVID-19 spread.

Elderly, differently-abled, and widows will get three months' pension in advance, the Centre says.

Prominent Muslim body Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind urges Muslims to pray from home.

SC seeks Centre's response on plea for evacuating 850 pilgrims from Iran.

MHA asks states to stop mass exodus of migrant labourers amid coronavirus lockdown.

RBI puts EMI payments on all term loans on hold for three months, and cut interest rate by steepest in more than 11 years in an effort to join the fight against coronavirus.

China reports one local coronavirus case after three days with 54 new imported cases.

Facebook on Friday launched Corona Helpdesk Chatbot in Messenger with Health Ministry and MyGov in India to raise awareness and give accurate information. 2 STATES Jammu and Kashmir: Four more test positive for COVID-19 in the state as the number of cases rise-- Nearly 1,200 state people with foreign travel history shifted to quarantine centres

Uttar Pradesh: Six more cases today, total cases in UP rise to 49. Also, over 3,700 FIRs registered and Rs 1.92 crores collected in fines for lockdown violation in UP, official says. Cases in UP's Gautam Buddh Nagar at 17.

Odisha: Malls, stores and SHGs are roped in for home delivery of essential items in the state

Kerala: Thrissur district ramps up facilities to meet any Covid-19

Haryana: One more person tests positive for COVID-19 as the number of cases in the state rise to 19; Hisar district administration makes stay and food arrangement for stuck Kashmiri youth amid lockdown

Rajasthan: Over 7,500 home guards help in maintaining coronavirus lockdown

Goa: State authority will take over Madgaon railway station platforms to provide shelter to homeless, order says.

Tamil Nadu: Six more people tested positive taking the total number of cases to 35 in the state

Maharashtra: The number of patients rises to 135 as five more people test positive

Delhi: Delhi government provides masks and hand sanitisers to the staff of public transport buses during the lockdown. 3 INTERNATIONAL Britain: British PM Boris Johnson becomes the first major world leader to test positive for the coronavirus. Britain's health secretary Matt Hancock has also tested positive.

Spain: The death toll in Spain soars over 4,800 after 769 people died in 24 hours, in what was a record one-day figure for fatalities, although the rate of new infections slowed. As per estimates, Spain's health service has 9,444 workers infected with Covid-19

United Arab Emirates: UAE is taking initiative to help stranded passengers at Dubai airport, including 22 Indians, media report says.

United States of America: The US has more coronavirus cases than any other country after more than 16,000 COVID-19 infections were reported there in a single day, taking total over 85,600.

South Africa: SA records its first two Covid-19 deaths as the number of confirmed cases breach the 1,000 mark just hours after a three-week nationwide lockdown swing into action.

Brussels: An EU summit tasked with designing a rescue plan to fight the impact of the coronavirus outbreak instead unearthed the union's deep and historic divisions, with Spain and Italy furiously decrying Dutch insensitivity.

Germany: Berlin's nightclubs were closed March 13 to help slow the spread of the virus. In response, some formed a streaming platform to let DJs, musicians and artists keep performing.

Brasilia: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro decrees places of worship are "essential services" that must be exempted from coronavirus confinement orders, the far-right leader's latest jab at aggressive containment measures.

Pakistan: Worshippers crowded into mosques in Pakistan, defying warnings about the fast-spreading coronavirus and fuelling fears of a public health crisis in the impoverished country.

Israel: The sense of urgency created by the pandemic has opened the way for the right-wing premier to stay in power as head of a "corona government".

IMF: The top officials of the International Monetary Fund have said that the coronavirus pandemic will cause global economic output to contract in 2020 and that an "exceptionally high number of countries" need IMF emergency financing.

NEW DELHI: As the number of coronavirus cases in India went past 700 and the death toll stood at 17 on Friday, the cabinet secretary asked states to take note of the 'gap' in tracking people who travelled abroad and are now in India. Meanwhile, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive for Covid-19 disease and New York state, the epicenter of the US outbreak, reported 100 more deaths in one day.