Here is a look at the latest updates on the outbreak of

in India and around the world —

More than 1 million European cases of virus

India hands over hydroxychloroquine, paracetamol tablets to Afghanistan

DGCA directs airlines to stop taking bookings

Govt sets up task force to work on vaccines

Selective relaxation in non-containment areas from April 20

More relaxations in offing if country continues to manage COVID-19 well: Javadekar

Coronavirus crisis 'biggest invisible war': Rajnath Singh

Haven't received any govt notice on bookings open from May 4:

, AirAsia India

Italy prepares for 'Phase-2' of COVID-19 response as deaths surge past 23,000

Govt makes a U-turn, stops e-commerce platforms from selling non-essential items

lauds Delhi Police for humanitarian relief operations

UK expands repatriation flights from South Asia

(With agency inputs)

NEW DELHI: The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 519 and the number of cases climbed to 16,116 in the country on Sunday, registering an increase of 31 deaths and 1,324 cases since Saturday evening, according to the Union health ministry.The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 13,295 while 2,301 people have been cured and discharged, and one patient has migrated, the ministry said.The ministry officials said that 54 districts in 23 states/Union territories did not report any cases in the last 14 days.The European Center for Disease Control says the continent now has more than 1 million confirmed cases and almost 100,000 deaths from the new coronavirus.According to a tally posted on the ECDC website Sunday, Spain had the most cases in the region with 191,726, followed by Italy, Germany, Britain and France.It listed Italy as having the most deaths in Europe, with 23,227, followed by Spain, France, Britain and Belgium.According to the tally, Europe accounts for almost half the global case load and more than half the total deaths.Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar on Sunday handed over the consignments of hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol tablets to Afghan health minister Ferozuddin Feroz and acting defence minister Asadullah Khalid as a step towards the collaborative fight against COVID-19.Indian Embassy in Kabul tweeted, "Ambassador Vinay Kumar today handed over the consignments of 300, 000 tablets of hydroxychloroquine and 70, 000 tablets of paracetamol tablets to HE Minister of Public Health Feroz Ferozuddin."The Afghanistan health minister thanked India for its humanitarian assistance in hours of need.Amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown , aviation regulator DGCA on Sunday told airlines to stop taking bookings.Private Indian airlines were taking bookings on Sunday on select flights from May 4.Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri had advised airlines on Saturday night to open bookings only after the government takes a decision on resumption of passenger flights.A high-level task force has been set up to work on frontiers of science related to vaccines and drug testing to fight coronavirus, the Union health ministry said on Sunday.Addressing a media briefing, Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, health ministry, said NITI Aayog member and principal scientific advisor to the government will be co-chair of the task force.The senior official asserted that the task force aims to enable and speed up the industry and international efforts being made to fight COVID-19.Selective relaxation will be given in non-containment areas from April 20, but strict restrictions will continue in districts declared COVID-19 hotspots, the government said on Sunday.Addressing a daily media briefing to give updates on the novel coronavirus situation in the country, Joint secretary in the health ministry Lav Agarwal said some activities in agricultural sector and rural economy would be permitted as part of ensuring "Jaan bhi hai jahan bhi hai (life and wellbeing)".He also said a high-level task force to work on frontiers of science related to vaccines and drug testing was formed on Sunday.A day before a host of relaxations to boost economic activities kick in amid the nationwide lockdown, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said on Sunday that more relief measures are bound to come if India continues to manage the coronavirus crisis well, asserting that "you cannot (have) lockdown permanently".The information and broadcasting minister also called for fully observing PM Modi 's request to people to stay wherever they are amid a row over the UP government's decision to send buses to Kota in Rajasthan to bring back students stuck there.India has put in place a robust mechanism to insulate the three services and their strategic assets from the coronavirus infection, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday, assuring that the military is fully prepared to defend the the country from "adversarial forces" though it was fighting the pandemic.Singh said the fight against the pandemic is the "biggest invisible war" in last several decades and India is acting on a war footing with proper coordination among all agencies concerned and support of people.He said the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force are strictly adhering to instructions issued by the Prime Minister's Office, the health ministry and their own medical bodies for protection against COVID-19.A day after Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri advised airlines to open bookings only after the government takes a decision on resuming passenger flight services, Vistara and AirAsia India said on Sunday they have not received any notice from the aviation ministry on this matter.All Indian airlines, including Vistara and AirAsia India, are currently taking bookings on select flights from May 4.The Italian government is now preparing for the 'Phase-2' of its response to fight the coronavirus outbreak as the tally of deaths surged past 23,000 on Saturday (local time), after 482 more people succumbed to the contagious infection in the past 24 hours.The total number of confirmed cases -- combining active infections, fatalities and recoveries -- rose to 175,925, an increase of 3,491 against Friday, Xinhua news agency reported after citing data from Italy's Civil Protection Department.The lockdown that went into effect on March 10 will continue until May 3, which will be followed by a so-called "Phase Two," involving "the gradual resumption of social, economic and productive activities," the Italian government has explained.The government on Sunday prohibited e-commerce platforms from selling non-essential items during the lockdown, four days after allowing the companies to sell mobile phones, refrigerators and ready-made garments.Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla issued an order excluding the non-essential items from the cart of e-commerce companies. The order said the following clause -- "E-commerce companies. Vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions" -- is excluded from the guidelines.The April 15 order had said e-commerce platforms were allowed to sell such items from April 20. E-commerce platforms are allowed to sell essential commodities such as food, pharmaceutical and medical devices.Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday lauded Delhi Police for its humanitarian relief operations even as the country battles coronavirus."Delhi Police, an organization that lives up to its Motto- Shanti Sewa Nyaya. Very proud of @DelhiPolice. Together we will win this battle," the home minister said in a tweet, re-tweeting tweets by Delhi Police."The biggest Humanitarian Relief Operations by Delhi Police since its inception in 1948: Five million food packets delivered to the urban poor and homeless so far ! 145 tonnes of dry ration distributed to the needy families!" Delhi Police had said in a tweet.As many as 7,000 more Britons will return home from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as the UK government has announced to operate 31 more charter flights over the next week to repatriate its citizens stranded in the coronavirus lockdown across South Asia.The flights, scheduled between April 20 and 27, include 17 from India, 10 from Pakistan and four from Bangladesh.