Coronavirus Outbreak Updates:A 38-year-old man with a travel history to Delhi tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar on Wednesday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 39. State epidemiologist Ragini Mishra said the patient hailed from Nawada, becoming the first person from the central Bihar district to test positive.

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On Tuesday, several states also announced plans to ramp up their testing infrastructure and put in place strong 'cluster containment' plans in areas identified as hotspots of the outbreak.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases on Tuesday neared the 5,000 mark with India reporting 508 new cases and 13 deaths in 24 hours while many states advocated for a gradual approach to lifting the 21-day lockdown which ends on 14 April.

By Monday night, the number of cases of the deadly virus in the city stood at 525, including seven deaths.

Earlier, in a tweet by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) the tally of cases were 550, however, in a bulletin released by the Delhi Health Department the number of cases was updated to 576.

With this, the death toll in Delhi due to COVID-19 has risen to nine.

The total number of cases includes 333 people who took part in Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Nizamuddin area last month, they said.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Tuesday rose to 576, with 51 fresh cases and two deaths being reported in a day, according to the Delhi Health Department.

"We have to restrict this within that small place and draw a Lakshman Rekha around it so that it does not spread to other places," she told reporters at the state secretariat.

"We have identified seven COVID-19 hotspots in the state," Banerjee said without giving details about the names of the vulnerable areas.

Banerjee also said that the death toll in the state has risen to five, while the number of active cases stands at 69. On Tuesday, eight new coronavirus cases were reported.

The chief minister said flower growers and bidi workers, who were facing problems in doing business, can now start working.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the government has identified seven COVID-19 hotspots in the state and is chalking out a plan to restrict the virus within those areas.

The new case has been reported from Dhubri and the person attended the Nizamuddin Markaz event in Delhi, the minister had tweeted on Tuesday morning.

Among the 28 confirmed cases, 27, including five women, are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation. The state had not reported any other case for the last two days.

This is the second confirmed case on Tuesday with the first being reported from Dhubri this morning, and both the cases are linked to the congregation.

The 65-year old man, who has a travel history to Saudi Arabia, tested positive, the minister tweeted on Tuesday night. The patient, from Hailakandi, is also linked to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizamuddin's Nizamuddin area, he tweeted.

A new COVID-19 case related to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was reported in Assam on Tuesday, taking the number to 28, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Nearly 13 areas have been declared as containment zones for all the purposes and objectives as prescribed in the protocol of COVID-19, to prevent its spread in the adjoining areas,Faridabad district administration, Haryana told ANI on Wednesday.

We pay for a majority or the biggest portion of their money. They actually criticized and disagreed with my travel ban at the time I did it. They were wrong. They've been wrong about a lot of things. They had a lot of information early and they didn't want to -- they're very -- they seem to be very China centric, Trump charged during his news conference.

We're going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. We're going to put a very powerful hold on it and we're going to see. It's a great thing if it works. But when they call every shot wrong, that's no good, Trump told reporters at his daily White House news conference.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would put a hold on America's funding to the World Health Organization, accusing it of becoming China-centric during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"As they focus on this critical mission, this postponement will provide additional time to thoroughly evaluate the 2020 Pulitzer finalists,” Canedy said. She added, “More than ever, this moment highlights journalism's mission to provide a vital public service. It also demonstrates literature and the arts' ability to transport and uplift the human spirit during trying times. The Pulitzer Prizes will continue its more than century-long mandate to celebrate such excellence.”

The announcement of Pulitzer winners in journalism and the arts will be postponed from 20 April to 4 May, the board said. Pulitzer Prize administrator Dana Canedy said the board includes many journalists who are on the front lines of reporting on the coronavirus pandemic.

The Pulitzer Prize Board will postpone the announcement of this year's winners because some board members have been busy covering the global coronavirus outbreak, the organization announced Tuesday.

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.

At least 3,202 people have died in New York City from COVID-19, the city reported. 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.

The twin developments came even as the crisis seemed to be easing or at least stabilizing, by some measures, in New York and parts of Europe, though health officials warned people at nearly every turn not to let their guard down.

New York City's toll from the coronavirus rose past 3,200 Tuesday, eclipsing the number killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson lay in intensive care, believed to be the first major world leader hospitalized with the virus.

The occasion was marked with a light show on either side of the broad Yangtze river, with skyscrapers and bridges radiating animated images of health workers aiding patients, along with one displaying the words “heroic city," a title bestowed on Wuhan by president and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.

As of just after midnight Wednesday, the city's 11 million residents are now permitted to leave without special authorization as long as a mandatory smartphone application powered by a mix of data-tracking and government surveillance shows they are healthy and have not been in recent contact with anyone confirmed to have the virus.

The lockdown that served as a model for countries battling the coronavirus around the world has ended after 11 weeks: Chinese authorities are allowing residents of Wuhan once again to travel in and out of the sprawling city where the pandemic began.

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction for the government to impose a complete ban on all activities of the Tablighi Jamaat with immediate effect.

"People who had attended Tablighi Jamaat event should come forward and disclose the information within 24 hours, otherwise, FIR will be registered against them under sections related to attempt to murder," Raturi said.

Raturi on Sunday warned people, who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi last month, to come out and declare themselves within 24 hours or face prosecution for an attempt to murder.

"On 5 April, DGP had appealed to the people who attended Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi to come forward. After the appeal, 180 people have come forward. But two persons are yet to surrender so we have registered case against them," Ashok Kumar, ADG (Law and Order) told ANI.

Police official on Tuesday said that 180 people, who attended Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, have come forward after an appeal made by Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) Anil Raturi.

The meeting is expected to begin at 11.00 am.

According to a report by the Hindustan Times , the prime minister will seek suggestions from various parties on the road map to contain the outbreak. PM Modi will also appraise these party leaders of the steps being taken by the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be holding an all-party meeting via video conference. However, only floor leaders of political parties that have more than five Members of Parliament, have been invited to participate in the meeting.

The number of deaths in the US due to coronavirus crossed 12,700, with a record 1,900 fatalities in a single day. While the global toll has surpassed 82,020 and the number of infections has risen to 1,428,428 according to John Hopkins COVID-19 tracker.

Of 217 people tested on the vessel, 128 were positive for the virus that causes the COVID-2019 disease and 89 tested negative, Aurora Expeditions said.

The Greg Mortimer departed 15 March on a voyage to Antarctica and South Georgia that was titled In Shackleton's Footsteps, a reference to the polar explorer who led British expeditions to the region and died there in 1922.

There are currently no fevers on board and all are asymptomatic, said Aurora Expeditions, the Australian operator of the Greg Mortimer ship that is working to disembark the crew and passengers and arrange flights to their home countries.

Nearly 60 percent of 217 people from Australia, Europe and the United States onboard a cruise ship off the coast of Uruguay have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the ship's operator said Tuesday.

In coordination with the US consulate and the Telangana State government, a group of 98 adults and 1 infant US-bound passengers arrived at the airport at around 1 pm from various parts of the city. All these passengers were serviced through the fully-sanitised main passenger terminal building, which has been kept ready for evacuation operations.

The flight was a purely domestic one and operated from the main Passenger Terminal Building of Hyderabad International Airport. As per the flight itinerary, the passengers were to be further connected with Delta Airlines from Mumbai to their final destination in the US.

As per the flight itinerary, the special flight - AI 1617(Arrival)/AI 1618 (Departure), an airbus A 320 landed at Hyderabad International Airport yesterday at 3.12 pm from Mumbai and departed with the US-bound passengers at 4.15 pm to Mumbai.

The GMR-led Hyderabad International Airport on Tuesday handled a special passenger charter flight of the national carrier - Air India to evacuate over 90 US nationals from Hyderabad city.

The top brass of NITI Aayog told CNBC TV18 sources on Wednesday that the nationwide lockdown that is expected to end on 14 April need to have a 'phased exit' to cusion the economic damage caused by COVID-19 outbreak. High level officials including secretaries of states have suggested lifting resrictions to areas that are not 'red' Covid-19 containment zones. The final decision on exit strategy will be undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With renewables and natural gas already cheaper than coal in many places, it said that 90 percent of global capacity was already only viable due to non-market financial support.

The bill for this is set to top 630 billion. A study by the Carbon Tracker financial think tank found that 46 percent of coal plants throughout the world would run at a loss in 2020, rising to 52 percent by 2030.

While extreme social distancing measures in the world's largest economies aimed at stopping the virus are likely to result in a short-term cut in global emissions, government subsidies are still driving plans to build nearly 500 GW of new coal-fired power plants.

China and other nations could be burdened with costly and environmentally damaging coal power for decades if they forge ahead with new capacity to boost their economics after the COVID-19 pandemic, research showed Wednesday.

As many as 100 more people tested positive for coronavirus in Mumbai on Tuesday and five died due to the deadly virus. The number of cases in Mumbai has increased to 590.

After 150 more COVID-19 positive cases were reported in Maharashtra yesterday, the total number of coronavirus cases in the state surged to 1,018, according to Maharashtra's Health Department.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Cyber Department has registered a total of 113 FIRs against people spreading fake information on social media related to coronavirus and the lockdown.

The Maharashtra Excise Department on Tuesday registered 152 cases and arrested 55 people in the last 24 hours, amid the coronavirus lockdown. The excise department also seized liquor worth over Rs 38 lakhs.

The toll due to the coronavirus has risen to 124 while 353 patients have been cured/discharged/migrated. Maharashtra reported the highest number of 868 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu 621 and Delhi 576.

The country has witnessed a steep rise in coronavirus cases in the last few weeks owing to Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Delhi in the month of March. The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India has climbed to 4,789, as per the data provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

As the country battles the COVID-19 crisis, National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, has validated seven antibody-based rapid tests for COVID-19 and has found them to be satisfactory.

Notably, Chandigarh is the first Union Territory which has made wearing mask compulsory. On Tuesday Odisha had issued a similar directive to residents in the state.

"Use of mask or cloth on nose and mouth in public places is mandatory for people in Chandigarh," the Department of Public Relations, Chandigarh stated.

In a bid to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chandigarh Administration has made it mandatory for people to cover their nose and mouth either with a piece of cloth or with a mask while venturing outside their homes.

According to the health state department, the total count of positive cases in the state stands at 99

"On Monday, after a former employee of the civic body here died of coronavirus his family was informed but did not come forward for the last rites. The district administration performed his last rites today after his family refused to claim the body," said Shivdular Singh Dhillon, Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar.

Amritsar district administration on Tuesday performed the last rites of a COVID-19 positive victim after his family refused to claim the body.

The confirmed number of COVID-19 cases have risen to 38 in Bihar, with four more people testing positive on Tuesday in Siwan and Begusarai (two in each district). Their travel history is being ascertained. The state has reported one COVID-19-related death so far.

The other affected person, who stays in west Kolkata's Metiabruz area, was admitted in a local hospital on 1 April. After testing positive for the illness, the 60-year-old is now admitted in MR Bangur hospital.

Health officials on Tuesday said that two pavement dwellers in Kolkata tested positive for coronavirus. A 40-year-old man who lived on a pavement in Bowbazar area, was earlier admitted to NRS Medical College Hospital on 3 April and was shifted to ID Hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.

A 44-year-old man dies of COVID-19 in Pune, Maharashtra. He was suffering from diabetes. With this, death toll due to the disease reaches 9 in the city, reported ANI quoting health officials in Pune

He was tested last week when he complained of fever and his reports came on 7 April. His family has been asked to be on home quarantine, said Delhi Police. The colony, where he lived, is under strict lockdown now. Police is trying to establish his contacts and how did he get infected with COVID-19.

An Assistant Sub Inspector of Delhi Police has tested positive for COVID-19 and he has been shifted to AIIMS, reports ANI. Last week he had complained of fever. The ASI was posted in traffic department and cops are ascertaining how he contracted the coronavirus. This is the first case of Delhi Police personnel testing positive for coronavirus.

Another patient succumbed to the viral disease at the state-run Sassoon Hospital, Pune Divisional Commissioner Dr Deepak Mhaisekar said.

He was admitted to the hospital on 4 April. On Tuesday night, he became breathless and was put on ventilator support. He died on Wednesday after renal failure, Gaikwad said.

A 44-year-old man, who was on ventilator support and suffering from uncontrolled diabetes, died at the civic-run Naidu Hospital early Wednesday morning, Pune Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said.

Two more people died of coronavirus infection in Pune, taking the toll in the Maharashtra district to 10, officials said on Wednesday.

According to News18, three cases were from Jaipur's Ghat Gate and Ramganj localities and one each from Bikaner and Banswara. The cases include a 4-year-old girl and two women. While the person found positive in Bikaner is a relative of a Tablighi Jamaat attendee, the 50-year-old woman found positive in Banswara is the relative of a patient.

Five people tested positive for COVID-19 in Bikaner, Jaipur and Banswara, taking the tally in Rajasthan to 348. The fresh cases are contacts are COVID-19 patients, the state health department said.

Over the last 24 hours, 773 new cases and 10 deaths were reported.

The total number of coronavirus positive cases in India has risen to 5,194 , which includes 4,643 active cases and 401 cured/discharged people. The toll is now at 149.

According to a report by Mumbai Mirror , the collector has ordered that all shop, in Thane, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai and Mira Bhyanader, barring pharmacies to remain shut after 5 pm. Shops can open at 5 am said an official from collector’s office told the leading daily.

After coronavirus cases in Thane rose to 114, Thane collector Rajesh Narvekar on Tuesday all shops in Thane to remain at 5 pm everyday.

Senior minister told FPJ, “Several ministers, including Subhash Desai, Rajesh Tope, Varsha Gaikwad, Aslam Sheikh and Satej Patil, strongly argued in favour of extending the lockdown up to 30 April. However, the chief minister was quite categorical that ministers should stop making any statement in this regard.

Thackeray, on Tuesday, asked ministers not to make any statement on the relaxation or extension of the lockdown beyond April 14 in the state because of the coronavirus pandemic, reported Free Press Journal.

After Maharashtra health minister Rajest Tope told Reuters last week that the lockdown may be extended in the state due to the rise of coronavirus cases, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today requested ministers to not issue any statement on the lockdown,

Earlier on Monday night, ANI UP had tweeted saying that those in sector 5 Harola, Noida, who came in contact with Tablighi Jamat members have been quarantined. The news agency deleted the after Noida DCP said that ANI UP misquoted an official and are spreading fake news.

On Tuesday, ANI Uttar Pradesh deleted a tweet after Noida DCP said that they misquoted an official and are spreading fake news on Tablighi Jamat members.

With 1,018 cases of COVID-19, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of infections, followed by Tamil Nadu (690) and Delhi (576).

With 74 cases, Kurnool topped the chart in the state followed by SPS Nellore with 49, Guntur with 41 and Krishna 35. In all, six patients had recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals while four have died so far.

The total number of Covid-19 cases in the state now touched 329 while the active cases were 319, the latest bulletin said. Of the 15 cases, six each from SPS Nellore and Krishna districts while three were reported in Chittoor district.

Fifteen new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Andhra Pradesh since last night, taking the total number of infected to 329, health department officials said on Wednesday.

However, Trinamool Congress sources said their leaders Derek O' Brien and Sudip Bandyopadhyay are unlikely to attend the interaction, reported PTI.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Ghulam Nabi Azad from the Congress and floor leaders of TMC, BSP, DMK, BJD, TRS as well as various other parties have been invited for the meeting.

The strategy to fight COVID-19 pandemic including the lockdown is expected to dominate the discussion of leaders of various parties with Modi.

This will be the first interaction of the prime minister with leaders of opposition after announcing the countrywide lockdown for 21 days on 24 March.

Reaching out to the Opposition amid the ongoing country-wide lockdown due to coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with floor leaders of various parties via a video conference shortly.

Out of 138 active cases, two patients are on ventilator support and their condition is critical, she said.

Of the total 179 cases, 83 have been reported from Ahmedabad, she said. So far, 16 patients have died in the state and 25 discharged after recovery, the official said.

Two of the new cases were reported from Bhavnagar and one each was reported from Surat and Vadodara, Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi told reporters.

Four new coronavirus cases were detected in Gujarat on Wednesday, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 179, a health official said.

The entire state is under lockdown from 22 March and massive survey and screening are underway to trace the contagion.

"Five new cases have come up today, including three in Jaipur and one each in Bikaner and Banswara district. In Jaipur, positive cases have come in Ghat Gate and Ramganj area" 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 five more cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the total number of virus cases in the state to 348, an official said.

We received reports of 60 people testing positive for coronavirus today. The Maharashtra tally is now 1,078, said the official. The state has so far reported 64 deaths due to the viral disease.

Among the new cases, 44 have been found in Mumbai, nine in Pune, four in Nagpur, and one each in Ahmednagar, Akola and Buldhana, he said.

Sixty new coronavirus cases were reported in Maharashtra on Wednesday, taking the toll number of such cases in the state to 1,078, a health official said.

The rupee had settled at 75.64 against the US dollar on Tuesday. According to Reliance Securities rising brent prices and firm US Dollar Index could limit gains for the rupee.

Forex traders said rising brent prices and firm US dollar index weighed on the local unit. The rupee opened weak at 75.83 at the interbank forex market and then fell further to 75.85, down 21 paise over its last close.

The Indian rupee fell 21 paise to 75.85 against the US dollar in opening trade on Wednesday, as investors braced for a prolonged period of uncertainty as coronavirus cases rise.

51 new coronavirus positive cases have been reported in Delhi on Wednesday which includes 35 patients with a history international travel, 4 Markaz attendees and 2 deaths. The total number of positive cases in the union territory now stands at 576, reports ANI.

Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Jain told PTI that when the constable asked some people out on streets to go back home, they started arguing and threw stones at him.

A purported video of the incident also went viral on social media, in which the policeman was seen running to save himself from seven to eight people who were throwing stones and chasing him. One of the miscreants was seen picking up a stick while chasing the policeman.

Five people have been arrested in connection with the incident that took place in Chandan Nagar area here on Tuesday evening, he said.

A group of persons pelted stones at a police constable in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district when he asked them to stay indoors to contain the spread of coronavirus, an official said on Wednesday.

Eight members of a family have tested positive in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh as they came in contact with an infected member who attended Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi last month. The attendee and his mother have died due to the disease reported ANI quoting District Magistrate GC Dad.

A 49-year-old coronavirus patient died at the Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, taking the total deaths in the district to 16.

Three of the deaths were reported from Sassoon General Hospital, and one each from Naidu Hospital and Nobel Hospital, a health official from the Pune Municipal Corporation said. All these patients had some co-morbid health conditions, he said.

Five people died of coronavirus in Pune in the last 12 hours, taking the COVID-19 toll in the Maharashtra district to 13, officials said on Wednesday.

"However, a large force will be needed to replace the first line and to tackle the exponential or geometric increase in positive COVID-19 cases in the subsequent stages of the pandemic," according to a Personnel Ministry order.

"...As all are aware, India faces a significantly higher threat from COVID-19 pandemic. It will be pertinent to take note of the fact that India's first line of workers is already engaged in COVID-19 relief and doing a commendable job.

Asserting that India faces a significantly higher threat from COVID-19, the central government has decided to create a "larger force" to replace frontline workers engaged in various works to tackle the pandemic and its exponential increase. It has decided to provide them with necessary training through online mode.

With six new cases reported at 5 pm on Tuesday till 12 noon on Wednesday, total cases in Karnataka have risen to 181, which includes 5 deaths and 28 cured cases, said health minister B Sriramulu.

Five people suffering from COVID-19 have been cured and discharged in the state so far, he said.

One more person tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand on Wednesday, officials said. A Health Department spokesman said the latest case has been reported from Haridwar and it takes the number of coronavirus patients in the state to 32.

"The administration has quarantined all those from the state who attended the Nizamuddin Markaz and identified the people from abroad who have been hiding in mosques," Chouhan said in a tweet late Tuesday night.

The congregation organised by the Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin in the national capital last month emerged as a major coronavirus hotspot in the country.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister​ Shivraj Singh Chouhan has asked the state residents who participated in the Tablighi Jamaat's religious congregation in Delhi last month to report to the state authorities within 24 hours or face criminal charges.

Times of India reported that a 78-year-old Nerul resident on Tuesday tested negative for COVID-19 after a week of hospitalisation and was successfully discharged from Kasturba Hospital on Tuesday. Navi Mumbai civic officials said that they were very relieved to hear the news. The man was admitted on 30 March.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to states to take urgent steps to ensure the availability of essential goods, and invoke provisions of the Essential Commodities (EC) Act, 1955, if needed, against hoarders. These measures include fixing of stock limits, capping of prices, enhancing production, an inspection of accounts of dealers and other such actions, a notification from the MHA stated.

"On Sunday night, two policemen came to my house and said that they wanted to take me to the police station as their superior wanted to enquire about some case," he said.

Anant Karmuse, a resident of Ghodbunder, had posted a photo morphed with Mr Awhad's face and a lit-up match stick with a caption, "I protest against the person who has edited the photo."

The man, in a police complaint, also alleged that he was beaten with a bamboo stick and belt in front of the minister. The alleged incident took place on Sunday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked people to light diyas or torch to show a "collective resolve" against coronavirus.

A 40-year-old civil engineer in Mumbai has claimed that policemen took him to NCP minister Jitendra Awhad's bungalow instead of the police station, where the minister's men thrashed him for posting a morphed photo.

The situation in the village is now "fully under control", police said. An FIR has been lodged against 150 people, including 100 unnamed people. Among those booked for the violence is the pradhan of the village Chaman Khan.

"The incident took place in the village at the time of ration distribution in which two groups clashed. Twelve persons were injured in brickbatting between rival groups. They have been admitted at the district Malham Singh hospital," police said.

Six persons have been arrested in connection with the clash that took place on Tuesday, ADM City, Rakesh Kumar Maalpani told PTI.

Twelve people were injured as two groups belonging to separate communities clashed over the issue of distribution of ration in Kamalpur village here, police said on Wednesday.

Uddhav Thackeray begins briefing the state via social media on video on Wednesday. He said, "We held a Cabinet meeting yesterday via video conferencing. I am constantly in touch with all ministers. This is a teamwork. It has been a month since we reported the first cases in Maharashtra. There is still growth in the number of cases, but it is not as steep."

He further said, "We are aware of what is happening in the United States, Japan, and Singapore. But we are also hearing that Wuhan, where this outbreak began, has eased its lockdown. This is a positive development. This too shall pass for us. We will definitely overcome this crisis."

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the state government is currently arranging 15 lakh meals per day for all migrants stranded in the state.

Maharashtra chief minister Udhhav Thackeray addressed concerns regarding the shortage of masks. He said, "There are reports of a shortage of N-95 masks, PPE kits and ventilators here. We need to understand that there is a shortage of these things across the world. Even the United States is asking us for medicines."

The Maharashtra chief minister urged all citizens to use masks while stepping out of the house for buying essentials. "It is not necessary to buy masks from shops. You can make one at home with a clean cloth," he said during the state briefing on Wednesday.

Sudhi told the bench that there should be free testing of COVID-19 by labs in the country as it is expensive.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi seeking a direction to the Centre and authorities to provide free of cost testing facility for COVID-19 to all citizens in the country.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Ravindra Bhat was told by the Centre that earlier 15,000 tests were conducted per day by 118 labs and later to enhance the capacity, 47 private labs were allowed to conduct the COVID-19 tests.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday suggested that the Centre should create a mechanism wherein private laboratories conducting COVID-19 tests do not charge exorbitant fees from public and government should reimburse the fees charged by labs.

Among the total positive cases reported ten are foreign nationals including six from Sri Lanka, and one each from Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia and South Africa while 51 are from other states of India, as per the bulletin.

At present, there are 122 active cases in the state, 17 patients have been discharged while the state has recorded two COVID-related deaths. Reports of 558 samples were awaited.

Among the fresh cases, seven were reported from Faridabad, one from Nuh and two from Palwal while Fatehabad district reported its first case, according to state health Department's bulletin.

With 11 more people testing positive for coronavirus, the number of COVID-19 cases in Haryana rose to 141 on Wednesday.

Uddhav Thackeray urged retired healthcare workers to volunteer to help the government fight the global pandemic as cases in state crossed 1,000. "I am requesting retired nurses, ward boys, trained personnel and medical staff to help us. They can email us their names and contact information at Covidyoddha@gmail.com."

The video was recorded taken at Ponnani in the Malappuram district and shows a group of men running in all directions as soon as they spot the drone. The Kerala Police tweeted the video from their official handle Monday.

In an attempt to introduce some levity during India’s coronavirus lockdown, the Kerala Police has tweeted amusing footage from its recent drone surveillance efforts to keep people indoors.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday said the lockdown "will be lifted once we are fully confident that the spread of the virus has been controlled and it poses no danger to fellow Indians."

Out of the total 91 patients, one died while two have so far been discharged after recovery, Bhopal's Chief Medical and Health Officer Sudhir Deharia said.

The six new patients include a journalist working with a news channel, a public relations department official said. He possibly contracted the infection from a police officer who earlier tested positive for coronavirus, the official said.

Six more people tested positive for coronavirus in Bhopal, taking the number of such cases in the Madhya Pradesh capital to 91, officials said on Wednesday.

According to Walia, the number of calls after the lockdown, which started after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on March 24, has increased by 50 per cent.

Of the 3.07 lakh calls received by the 'CHILDLINE 1098' helpline for children in distress across the country between March 20-31, covering the first week of the lockdown, 30 per cent were about protection against abuse and violence on children, said Harleen Walia, deputy director of Childline India. This comes to 92,105 calls.

The Childline India helpline received more than 92,000 SOS calls asking for protection from abuse and violence in 11 days, a sombre indication that the lockdown has turned into extended captivity not just for many women but also for children trapped with their abusers at home.

RK Tiwari, Chief Secy of Uttar Pradesh said that in the sealed areas no delivery movement will be allowed.. Only stores with essentials and medicines will be open, he stated.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanatha told CNN-News18 that the state government would be 'completely sealing' 15 districts from 12 am today. Among these 15 districts are Agra, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Basti, Kanpur, Varanasi, Lucknow, Shamli, Bulandshahr, Sitapur, Maharajganj, Meerut, Bareilly, Firozabad, Saharanpur.

So far, 327 persons have been tested positive for coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh with 14 more cases being reported on Wednesday.

"In a bid to manage the COVID-19 outbreak in a better way and in the interest of the citizens, the government has implemented the Essential Services Management Act, called ESMA, with the immediate effect in Madhya Pradesh," Chouhan said in a tweet.

The Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday invoked the Essential Services Management Act (ESMA) with immediate effect to tackle the coronavirus spread, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been reported to be stable after he spent two nights in ICU. His condition is said to have improved after he was administered oxygen support.

He also added, "Movement will be affected as the lock down is still on. Only areas with high positive cases will be sealed off."

UP Chief Secretary RK Tiwari state that further restrictions in the 15 districts will only be applied for those hotspot areas that have reported high coronavirus positive cases. He also said that affected areas that have positive COVID-19 cases will be sealed.

The meeting came a day after Kejriwal announced a five-point action plan which includes one lakh rapid anti-body blood test in hotspots to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

"Discussed the issue of corona with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs via video conferencing. Several MPs have given good suggestions which will soon be implemented by the government. We all will have to fight it together," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

In the meeting via video conferencing, Lok Sabha members belonging to the BJP and Rajya Sabha members of the Aam Aadmi Party interacted with the chief minister and discussed measures to contain the COVID-19 spread in the national capital.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday held a meeting with MPs from the national capital on the coronavirus outbreak and said "we all will have to fight it together".

Amid speculation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that lockdown will not be lifted in one go on 14 April, said BJD's Pinaki Misra to PTI after all-party meet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held an all-party meeting via video conference to discuss the fight against coronavirus as the number of cases in the country rose to 5,194. Citing government sources, multiple reports are saying that Narendra Modi has said that lifting the lockdown was 'not an option.'

Superintendent of Police (city) Prabal Pratap Singh said, "Cases were registered against 69 persons for moving in the city without masks, not maintaining social distancing and also not adhering to the lockdown orders." Notice have also been pasted on the houses of the 69 people.

The police have registered cases against 69 people here for violating the lockdown orders, officials said on Wednesday.

"These masks may be standard masks available with the chemist or even homemade washable masks and can be reused after proper washing and disinfecting them," the order said.

"All person will be moving for whatsoever purpose and under whatever reason authority in a public place, like street, hospital, office, markets must be wearing 3 ply mask or cloth mask compulsorily," an order issued by the Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi stated.

Amid an increase in the number of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, cases in the city, Mumbai's civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has made wearing of masks compulsory in public places, hospitals, offices, markets and while travelling in vehicles.

Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has written to all the state chief secretaries to ensure the availability of essential goods by invoking provisions of the Essential Commodities Act 1955, reported by news agency ANI. The Home Secretary also urged for steps to be taken to prevent hoarding and black marketing and ensure essential items are available at fair prices to the public,

Bollywood producer and Mumbai resident Karim Morani has tested positive for the coronavirus, media reports said. Morani, in all likelihood, may have contracted the virus from his daughter who was confirmed with COVID-19 earlier last week. The producer has been shifted to the Nanavati hospital for treatment.

The World Athletics has suspended the Tokyo Olympics qualification period until December 2020 due to the fast-spreading Covid-19 or coronavirus pandemic after consulting its athletes' commission, area presidents and council. The news comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) deferred the Tokyo Summer Games to from 23 July to 8 August, 2021.

Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa told PTI on Wednesday that the state intended to relax liquor sales, stopped since the 21-day lockdown was imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19, after April 14 in a bid to increase state revenues.

Health secretary Lav Agarwal on Wednesday said that the government has ensured that not only today even in future there will not be any lack of HCQ (Hydroxychloroquine) as and when needed.

The US, however, plans to block Iran’s requested emergency loan it says it needs to fight its coronavirus crisis. US says Tehran already has Billion dollar accounts at its disposal, which the loan will free up to be used elsewhere, against USA's national interests.

Reeling under economic impact of UN sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic, Iran had urged the International Monetary Fund to sanction a loan of $5 billion to help beat the pandemic which has claimed around 4,000 lives in the country.

"We find prima facie substance in the submission of petitioner that at this time of national calamity permitting private Labs to charge Rs.4500 for screening and confirmation test of COVID-19 may not be within means of a large part of population of this country and no person be deprived to undergo the COVID-19 test due to nonpayment of capped amount of Rs.4500. It is submitted before us that insofar as Government Laboratories are concerned the COVID-19 test is conducted free of cost," the SC said in its order.

The Supreme Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation challenging a recent government order capping the cost of COVID-19 at Rs 4,500.

The Supreme Court has ordered the Centre to make coronavirus tests free of cost, irrespective of whether they are taken in government or private labs.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered all government departments to stop all expenditures except payment of salaries. The chief minister emphasised the need to cut expenses drastically considering current revenue status of Delhi and the need to boost up measures to fight spread of pandemic.

After 76 days in lockdown, the Chinese city at the heart of the global pandemic reopened Wednesday, and tens of thousands immediately hopped on trains and planes to leave, reports AP. Residents waved flags and the city staged a light show with skyscrapers and bridges radiating images of health workers helping patients.

"Impact of health issues such as COVID19 on regional trade and measures to mitigate it was seen as new focus area for discussion in larger framework of trade facilitation in SAARC region. Need to enhance quantum of intra SAARC trade was highlighted," ANI quotes the MEA spokesperosn as saying.

Kerala's grand temple festival Thrissur Pooram, scheduled to be heald on 3 May, was cancelled for the first time in 58 years in light of the coronavirus outbreak, said reports. The festival will be held only as ritaul, the Devaswom said.

With 93 fresh cases recorded on Wednesday, the number of coronavirus patients in Delhi rose to 669, said the state health department. Of these, 426 are related to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, it said. So far, nine deaths have been reported in the National Capital.

The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on 21 February rose to 17,669, the Civil Protection Agency said, the highest in the world.

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 542 on Wednesday, a lower tally than the 604 the day before, but the number of new cases pushed higher to 3,836 compared with a previous 3,039, reports Reuters.

With 93 fresh cases recorded on Wednesday, the number of coronavirus patients in Delhi rose to 669, said the state health department. Of these, 426 are related to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, it said. So far, nine deaths have been reported in the National Capital.

The death toll due to coronavirus in the state now stands at 29 of whom, 21 persons died in Indore. Five others died in Ujjain, one each in Bhopal, Khargone and Chhindwara, said health officials.

As 72 new coronavirus positive cases were reported in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, the number of such patients in the state jumped to 385, PTI quotes health officials as saying. Of these 385, the highest number of 213 cases are from Indore, the commercial capital of the state. Forty of these cases were reported in the district on Wednesday alone, the officials said.Nine new cases were reported in Bhopal in 24-hours, which took the tally of COVID-19 patients in the state capital to 94, they said.

Media bulletin with district wise break up on status of positive cases of #COVID19 in Telangana (Dated: 08.04.2020) pic.twitter.com/658fIuVV99

Forty-nine fresh cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Telangana on Wednesday, taking the total number of positive cases in the state cumulatively to 453. The number of active cases in the state was 397 as 45 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovery, state Health Minister E Rajender told reporters.No death occurred due to the virus on Wednesday andthe number of deceased remained at 11, he said.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate Suhas LY assured home delivery of essential commodities and services at all places in Gautam Buddh Nagar, urging people not to venture out and avoid panic buying. "Dear residents, no need for panic buying. Identified hotspots shall be sealed and home delivery of essential commodities and services shall be available at all places in the district. We shall take strict action against rumour mongerers/spreaders,” District Magistrate Suhas LY said in a brief statement.

According to an official list, the localities identified for sealing in Noida are Sector 22, Chauda village, sectors 27, 28, 37, 41, 44, Hyde Park in Sector 78 and Supertech Capetown in Sector 74, Logix Blossom County and Paras Tierra in sector 137 and Wazidpur village, Ace Golfshire in Sector 150, Jaypee Wishtown sector 128, GrandOmaxe in Sector 93B, Sector 5 and 8 JJ colony, Designer Park in Sector 62 and Lotus Boulevard in Sector 100. In Greater Noida, sector Alpha I, ATS Dolce in Zeta I, Omnicron III, Sector 3, Mehak Residency in Accheja village, Stellar MI Omnicron III, and Ghodi Baccheda village have been identified as the localities to be sealed, the list stated. Nirala Greenshire in Sector 2, Vishnoi village in Dadri, Palm Olympia in Sector 16 are the localities in Greater Noida (West) also known as Noida Extension, it added.

As many as 34 residential localities across Noida and Greater Noida will be sealed off till April 15 in order to contain coronavirus from spreading further, PTI quotes the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration as saying. These localities are part of hotspots, which means areas where COVID-19 positive cases have been detected in the past, the administration said in a statement.

"Goa has its first recovered COVID-19 patient, bringing the total number of positive cases to 6. The patient will be kept under monitored quarantine for 14 days as per protocol before final discharge," said state health minister Vishwajit Rane.

One of seven coronavirus patients undergoing treatment in Goa was declared as cured by health officials on Wednesday, reports PTI. He tested negative for infection in his last two tests, they said.

The decision was taken at a state cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Vijay Rupani and held through video conference, said the release.

The Gujarat government said on Wednesday that 31 private hospitals across the state would be put to use as `designated' COVID-19 hospitals for coronavirus patients, reports PTI. Already, dedicated COVID-19 hospitals with combined capacity of 2,200 beds are operational in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara and Surat. The 31 new designated hospitals will add 4,064 beds, said an official release.

The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on 21 February rose to 17,669, the Civil Protection Agency said, the highest in the world.

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 542 on Wednesday, a lower tally than the 604 the day before, but the number of new cases pushed higher to 3,836 compared with a previous 3,039, reports Reuters.

Principal Secretary, Health, Sanjay Kumar said the patient had "a travel history to Delhi" and more details were sought about which places he visited in the National Capital and the people whom he came in contact with.

A 38-year-old man with a travel history to Delhi tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar on Wednesday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 39, PTI quotes officials as saying. State epidemiologist Ragini Mishra said the patient hailed from Nawada, becoming the first person from the central Bihar district to test positive.

Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Shisve said action will be taken under the Epidemic Diseases Act if a person is seen on the streets without a mask.

Wednesday. Masks are necessary for preventing the spread of the virus, said district collector Naval Kishore Ram. "Therefore, we have ordered people and government employees to use masks in public places," he said.

With the number of coronavirus cases in Pune nearing 200, wearing a face mask has been made mandatory in public places, a senior official said on

Extraordinary times require even closer cooperation between friends. Thank you India and the Indian people for the decision on HCQ. Will not be forgotten! Thank you Prime Minister @NarendraModi for your strong leadership in helping not just India, but humanity, in this fight!

India had late on 8 April lifted the ban on the export of some drugs, invoking criticism from many.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday thanked India and its people for for lifting the ban on hydroxychloroquine. "Extraordinary times require even closer cooperation between friends. Thank you India and the Indian people for the decision on HCQ. Will not be forgotten! Thank you Prime Minister NarendraModi for your strong leadership in helping not just India, but humanity, in this fight!" he tweeted.

Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: A 38-year-old man with a travel history to Delhi tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar on Wednesday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 39. State epidemiologist Ragini Mishra said the patient hailed from Nawada, becoming the first person from the central Bihar district to test positive.

As many as 34 residential localities across Noida and Greater Noida will be sealed off till April 15 in order to contain coronavirus from spreading further, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration said. These localities are part of hotspots, which means areas where COVID-19 positive cases have been detected in the past, the administration said in a statement.

With 93 fresh cases recorded on Wednesday, the number of coronavirus patients in Delhi rose to 669, said the state health department. Of these, 426 are related to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, it said. So far, nine deaths have been reported in the National Capital.

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Wednesday approved a 30 percent cut in salaries of ministers and state legislators in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak for one year.

Four medical staff have been tested positive with COVID-19 in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, said reports. The medical staff were treating a 58-year-old man from Hindupur town who had passed away due to the coronavirus recently, said District Collector Veera Pandyan.

The Delhi government on Wednesday made it compulsory for people to wear face masks when stepping outdoors to combat the coronavirus spread. The chief minister said that all government departments have been directed to stop all expenditures except salary, adding that they will have to cut expenses drastically considering the current revenue status.



Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed to seal the highly infected areas of 15 districts of the state from Wednesday midnight till morning of 15 April.

Supreme Court has ordered the Centre to make coronavirus tests free of cost, irrespective of whether they are taken in government or private labs.

Eleven people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 343 on Wednesday, officials were quoted as saying by PTI.



The health ministry has said that till date total 402 people have been discharged, total 5,194 positive confirmed case have been reported. In last one day, 773 positive cases were reported.

Amid an increase in the number of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, cases in the city, Mumbai's civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has made wearing of masks compulsory in public places, hospitals, offices, markets and while travelling in vehicles.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held an all-party meeting via video conference to discuss the fight against coronavirus as the number of cases in the country rose to 5,194. Citing government sources, multiple reports are saying that Narendra Modi has said that lifting the lockdown was 'not an option.'

Lucknow, Varanasi, and Agra among 15 districts in Uttar Pradesh that will be "sealed off completely" tonight to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, say multiple reports.

Uddhav Thackeray urged retired healthcare workers to volunteer to help the government fight the global pandemic as cases in state crossed 1,000. 'I am requesting retired nurses, ward boys, trained personnel and medical staff to help us. They can email us their names and contact information at Covidyoddha@gmail.com.'

Uddhav Thackeray begins briefing the state via social media on video on Wednesday. He said, 'We held a Cabinet meeting yesterday via video conferencing. I am constantly in touch with all ministers. This is teamwork.'

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to states to take urgent steps to ensure the availability of essential goods, and invoke provisions of the Essential Commodities (EC) Act, 1955, if needed, against hoarders.

Five people died of coronavirus in Pune in the last 12 hours, taking the COVID-19 toll in the Maharashtra district to 13, officials said on Wednesday.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a meeting via video-conferencing with all the MPs of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha from Delhi at 12 noon.

According to multiple reports the government is likely to take a final call on extending the lockdown for coronavirus after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second meeting with Chief Ministers via video conference on 11 April (Saturday).

With 1,018 cases of COVID-19, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of infections, followed by Tamil Nadu (690) and Delhi (576).

The total number of coronavirus positive cases in India has risen to 5,194 , which includes 4,643 active cases and 401 cured/discharged people. The toll is now at 149. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a video meet with Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs from Delhi at 12 noon.

Two more people died of coronavirus infection in Pune, taking the toll in the Maharashtra district to 10, officials said on Wednesday. A 44-year-old man, who was on ventilator support and suffering from uncontrolled diabetes, died at the civic-run Naidu Hospital early Wednesday morning, Pune Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said.

Health officials on Tuesday said that two pavement dwellers in Kolkata tested positive for coronavirus. A 40-year-old man who lived on a pavement in Bowbazar area, was earlier admitted to NRS Medical College Hospital on 3 April and was shifted to ID Hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.

The top brass of NITI Aayog told CNBC TV18 sources on Wednesday that the nationwide lockdown that is expected to end on 14 April need to have a 'phased exit' to cusion the economic damage caused by COVID-19 outbreak.

New York City's toll from the coronavirus rose past 3,200 Tuesday, eclipsing the number killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11. The number of deaths in the US due to coronavirus on crossed 12,700, with a record 1,900 fatalities in a single day.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases on Tuesday neared the 5,000 mark with India reporting 508 new cases and 13 deaths in 24 hours while many states advocated for a gradual approach to lifting the 21-day lockdown which ends on 14 April.

On Tuesday, several states also announced plans to ramp up their testing infrastructure and put in place strong 'cluster containment' plans in areas identified as hotspots of the outbreak.

There were also indications about possible relaxations from a complete lockdown for some sectors, including agriculture and unorganised labour sector, at least in some states, while there were also talks about even stronger area-specific restrictions in some places.

A Group of Ministers on COVID-19, recommended extension of closure of all educational institutions and restricting all religious activities having public participation till 15 May irrespective of whether the government extends the 21-day lockdown or not.

Confirmed cases climb to 4,789, toll reaches 124, says health ministry

Of the 4,789 cases confirmed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), 352 patients have been discharged or cured, one has migrated and there are 4,312 active cases in India.

However, a PTI tally of figures reported by various states at 9.45 pm showed 5,192 testing positive across the country and at least 162 deaths.

More than 400 have so far been cured and discharged, while nearly 1.1 lakh tests have been conducted so far in the country, as per official announcements, PTI said.

Also, while some states including Maharashtra reported a significant increase in the numbers, several states did not report a single additional positive case.

The number of confirmed cases in Maharashtra surged past 1,000, with 116 new cases being detected only in the city of Mumbai. The total number of coronavirus positive cases in Mumbai now stands at 642 with 40 deaths so far, including six new victims, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said in a release.

In Madhya Pradesh and Rajsthan the number crossed 300, while in Delhi the number of COVID-19 patients reached 576. Fresh cases were also reported from Punjab, Telangana, Haryana, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu among other states.

However, no fresh cases were reported from various states and union territories including Chattisgarh, Chandigarh, Goa, Jharkhand, Laddakh, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, Puducherry and Uttarakhand.

Lockdown, social distancing arrested spread of virus, claims health ministry

Officials said that the lockdown and social distancing measures have helped contain the pandemic in a big way in India.

Citing an ICMR study, the Health Ministry said just one COVID-19 patient can infect as many as 406 people in 30 days in the absence of preventive measures such as social distancing and the lockdown.

With the preventive measures, the possibility of the infection can be reduced to an average of just two-and-a-half persons per patient in the same period, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said in the central government's daily briefing on COVID-19.

He said social distancing works like a "social vaccine" in management of COVID-19, but refrained from commenting on whether the ongoing nationwide lockdown would be extended or lifted after 14 April.

"Whenever a decision is taken, it will be informed. Till a decision is officially communicated, please refrain from speculation," he said.

Government sources, however, said many state governments and experts are requesting the Centre to extend the lockdown and the Central Government is thinking in that direction.

There has been a nationwide lockdown since 25 March, though some states had initiated such measures a few days earlier, to check the pandemic that has claimed more than 75,000 lives worldwide since its emergence in China last December. Over 13 lakh people have tested positive for the virus across the world so far.

States likely to relax restrictions on some sectors

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said some relaxation on work front for unorganised sector workers was on the anvil. She, however, made it clear that all must practise social distancing. The state government has identified seven COVID-19 hotspots in West Bengal.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, however, said his government will extend the lockdown if needed, while his counterpart in Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, said the state cannot withdraw the lockdown immediately and it has to be done in a phased manner.

A Karnataka government minister said it's too early to take a call now on lifting the nationwide lockdown but appeared favouring an extension by at least two weeks.

Uttar Pradesh chief secretary RK Tiwari said, "There is still time for the lockdown and we will review the situation and then decide" on lifting it.

A panel report by the Kerala govt has suggested phased withdrawal of restrictions subject to the areas under review meet certain conditions.

Addressing his ministers through video conferencing on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also indicated towards a graded approach to lift the lockdown.

The Prime Minister had also asked the ministers whether the restrictions should be lifted sector-wise or district-wise, a source said. Modi has also asked the ministers to lay out plans to contain the economic impact of the pandemic.

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

The GoM also briefly discussed possible scenarios after end of the current spell of the lockdown. It also recommended that the inputs of the states are crucial in taking specific decisions on measures to contain the pandemic.

Arvind Kejriwal announces 'five-T' action plan

Several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, also announced plans to ramp up the tests, while numerous leaders across the country urged the people to strictly follow the lockdown and social distancing measures including for religious rituals.

Gehlot, the Rajasthan chief minister, said the state will start rapid testing within a week and that it has ordered 10 lakh testing kits from China.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a five-point action plan of "five Ts — testing, tracing, treatment, team-work and tracking — and monitoring" to contain the virus spread and said one lakh random rapid COVID-19 tests will be conducted in the city's hotspot areas. He said arrangements have been made to deal with as many as 30,000 cases.

Gujarat government has also decided to implement a cluster containment plan across 15 localities in four cities, which involves a complete lockdown of these areas.

Low GDP forecasts in view of lockdown

Rating agency ICRA on Tuesday forecast a GDP forecast of just 2 percent for the current fiscal and said the Indian economy is estimated to have contracted by 4.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of FY20 ended 31 March.

Industry body Retailers Association of India on the other hand warned that around 80,000 jobs were expected to be cut by various retailers due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. It had conducted a survey of 768 retailers, which employ 3,92,963 people across India, to gauge their view on the impact of COVID-19 on their business and manpower.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) also said that the COVID-19 crisis has the potential to push around 40 crore informal sector workers in India deeper into poverty, with the lockdown and other containment measures affecting jobs and earnings.

The stock market, however, witnessed a sharp rebound on Tuesday with a 2,476-point rally in the benchmark Sensex, while the investors' wealth measured in terms of market value of all listed companies rose by nearly Rs 7.7 lakh crore.

Shares of pharma companies especially saw a lot of surge after India decided to partially lift a ban on export of paracetamol and anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine.

The decision came a week after a telephonic conversation between Modi and US President Donald Trump, who sought supply of hydroxychloroquine to the US to treat coronavirus infected people.

Trump on Monday said he would be surprised if New Delhi did not relent to the request as it has good relations with Washington and warned India of retaliation if it did not export the anti-malarial drug despite his personal request.

Indian pharma companies said there is enough stock of hydroxychloroquine in the country, and drug firms are ready to ramp up the production to meet domestic as well as export requirements.

Agarwal said cluster containment strategies are producing required results in some areas like Agra, Gautam Budh Nagar (UP), Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Bhilwara (Rajasthan), East Delhi and Mumbai and similar strategies are being adopted in other coronavirus-affected districts.

With inputs from PTI