india

Updated: Apr 23, 2020 13:11 IST

The number of coronavirus cases in the country crossed the 21,000-mark on Thursday. The Ministry of Health updated the total number of positive coronavirus cases in the country to 21,393 on Thursday morning. The figure includes 16,454 active cases, 4,257 patients who have been cured or discharged and 681 fatalities.

Gujarat has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases which now near the 2,500-mark. Delhi has more than 2000 coronavirus cases. 724 Covid-19 patients have recovered from the infection in the national capital.

In Maharashtra, cases inch toward the 6,000-mark. 4 Indian states have more than 1000 coronavirus cases, these include Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

Here are the key developments:

1. Union Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah on Thursday tweeted on the global praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis in India. Shah stated that the “truth is self evident” as the entire world is praising the Prime Minister and his approach towards tackling the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

2. Tablighi Jamat chief Maulana Saad has completed the 14-day quarantine and got himself tested for coronavirus disease Covid-19, his lawyer Fuzail Ayyubi told Hindustan Times. “He has completed his quarantine and undergone a test. The report is awaited,” said Ayyubi.

3. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had said that the suggestions she gave to the government on tackling the Covid-19 crisis, were only acted upon partially. Her comments came during a meeting of the Congress Working Committee.

4. Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Thursday said that success of lockdown will be judged on the country’s ability to tackle Covid-19. He said that cooperation between the Centre and States is the key to success in the fight against coronavirus.

5. The Karnataka government partially relaxed Covid-19 lockdown norms in the state from Thursday. IT and IT-enabled services have been allowed to operate with essential minimum staff. Certain construction activities, manufacturing of packaging materials, courier services, have also been started.

6. According to satellite data published by US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), air pollution over northern India has plummeted to a 20-year-low for this time of the year amid the Covid-19 lockdown.

7. First Lady Savita Kovind on Wednesday stitched face masks at Shakti Haat in the President’s Estate as part of the fight against Covid-19.

8. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the federal government was trying to malign the state and that “canards” were being spread about the state’s testing figures when the “real problem” was with the testing kits supplied to the state.

9. Some industries and a few states have written to the union ministry of labour and employment to allow the use of funds collected under the ESI or Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) scheme, to cover wages or part of the wages for employees during the lockdown.

10. Co-founder of Microsoft and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on Wednesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to combat the coronavirus menace.