A CRPF battalion in Delhi has reported 47 cases of coronavirus, including one jawan who died yesterday. The entire battalion of nearly 1,000 people have been quarantined. The 31st battalion of the CRPF in east Delhi's Mayur Vihar has seen a massive spike in the number of cases in the last couple of days.

Maharashtra, the state with the highest number of COVID-19 cases, recorded 729 new cases on Tuesday. The state's tally has touched 9,318. Maharashtra also reported its highest single-day death count of 31, pushing the total to 400. Nearly 1.55 lakh people in the state are in home quarantine and around 10,000 in institutional quarantine. So far, 1,388 recovered patients have been discharged. Mumbai figures also touched a 6,000-mark yesterday.

Tripura has become the fifth state in the northeast to become COVID-19 free. The state had two cases - both have been cured and discharged. Tripura had isolated the cases and after rigorous contact tracing, testing was scaled up. The state now has the highest per million tested for coronavirus infection in the country.

In Tamil Nadu, the "intense lockdown" in two cities - Salem and Tirupur - ended last night. Coronavirus cases in the state crossed the 2,000-mark. 25 people have died in the state.

Across the country, 7,696 patients have recovered so far; the recovery rate stood at 24.56 per cent this morning.

The Union Health Ministry on Sunday said coronavirus patients who have only either very mild symptoms of the infection or are "pre-symptomatic" can be under home isolation. The ministry put out a set of guidelines listing out the eligibility for home quarantine.

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had said on Tuesday that the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases has slowed to 10.9.

In a video meeting with Chief Ministers on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated that the coronavirus lockdown could continue beyond May 3 in parts of the country worst affected by the pandemic identified as hotspots.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to economic devastation and millions of people across the world losing jobs. In the latest sign of big business woes, British Airways is set to slash up to 12,000 jobs, its parent company said. The carrier, which has approximately 45,000 employees, has already furloughed nearly 23,000 staff.