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

in India and around the world —

States cannot dilute Centre's lockdown guidelines

Centre gives nod to convert surplus rice stocks into ethanol

HC satisfied with govt measures for emergency treatment to non-COVID patients

Entire Pune & Pimpri Chinchwad now declared a containment zone

Goa first state to become Covid-free, but risks loom as 7,000 seamen set to return

DBT approves funding for three companies to develop a vaccine

Newborn tests positive in Rajasthan

No relaxation of any kind, lockdown to remain imposed till May 3: Bihar DGP

US COVID-19 tests more than 10 countries combined

Centre objects to Kerala easing lockdown restrictions

Biggest spike in Covid-19 numbers yet as Maharashtra, Gujarat report huge spurt

Tough road ahead, economy gears up for limited restart

PM Modi calls for unity, says virus knows no religion, caste

Government U-turn: E-commerce firms can deliver only essentials

US COVID-19 tests more than 10 countries combined

Lifting lockdown restrictions is not end of epidemic: WHO

More than 1 million European cases of virus

Covid-19 death toll in US crosses 40,000

NEW DELHI: The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 559 and the number of cases climbed to 17,656 in the country on Monday, registering an increase of 40 deaths and 1,540 cases since Sunday evening, according to the Union health ministry. The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 14,255 while 2,841 people have been cured and discharged, and one patient has migrated. On Sunday, more than 1,600 new Covid-19 cases were reported from across the country.States and Union territories (UTs) can take stricter action than what is mentioned in the guidelines issued by the central government to enforce the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19 but cannot dilute or weaken them, the Union home ministry said on Monday. The fresh communication to the states was issued as some of them were issuing certain guidelines that amounted to "diluting" the lockdown leading to "severe repercussions to health" of the citizens.The Centre on Monday decided to convert surplus rice stocks into ethanol which will be used in making alcohol-based hand-sanitisers and for blending in petrol. The national policy on biofuels allows conversion of surplus quantities of food grains, available with the FCI, to ethanol whenever there is a projected oversupply as anticipated by govt in a crop year.The Delhi High Court has expressed satisfaction over measures taken by the Centre and Delhi government to provide treatment to non-COVID-19 patients including those needing chemotherapy, dialysis and pregnant women, despite the enormous pressure due to coronavirus situation. The HC bench also applauded the health workers for their efforts.The entire metropolitan area of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, with a population of over 7.5 million, has been declared a containment zone and will remain sealed till April 27 as per orders issued on Sunday night. This is the first time anywhere in the country that an entire city has been sealed although there are containment zones in several Indian cities.Goa on Sunday became the first state to be free of Covid-19 patients for the moment as the seventh patient recovered from the virus. The tiniest state has not reported a single Covid-19 case since April 3 and all seven patients — six with travel history, and the seventh the brother of one of the patients — have now recovered.The Department of Biotechnology has so far short-listed three companies for funding the development of a vaccine for COVID-19, besides 13 other proposals it received for diagnostics, therapeutics and other interventions to fight coronavirus, a statement said. The DBT said a multifaceted approach is being adopted to ensure that vaccine companies utilising different platforms and at different stages of development are fast tracked through a research consortium under funding from the National Biopharma Mission.A newborn baby has tested positive for coronavirus in Rajasthan's Nagaur district, an official said Monday. The baby was born on Saturday and her mother, father and other family members too are COVID-19 patients, said officials. In Nagaur, 59 people have tested positive so far.Refuting certain rumours about easing coronavirus restrictions, the Director-General of Police (DGP), Bihar on Monday clarified that there is no relaxation in the lockdown. "Lockdown will go on for common man till 3rd May. However, MHA has allowed the resumption of some activities, so if people related to those activities come out of their houses, then common man should not think that they too can step out of their homes now," said Gupteshwar Pandey, DGP Bihar.The United States has carried out more tests for the novel coronavirus pandemic than 10 other countries--France, United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, India, Austria, Australia, Sweden and Canada, President Donald Trump has said. The number of COVID-19 deaths in the US crossed 40,000 and the total infections were more than 764,000 so far.The Union home ministry has taken strong objection to the Kerala government's decision to allow opening of restaurants, bus travel in cities and opening of MSME industries in municipal areas, saying it amounts to dilution of its lockdown guidelines.In the biggest surge in the Covid-19 pandemic in India so far, 1,612 new cases were reported from across the country on Sunday, with Maharashtra (552), Gujarat (367) and Uttar Pradesh (179) registering their highest single-day count of fresh infections. The huge surge in these states resulted in the total number of coronavirus cases jumping by more than 10% in a single day to 17,325, at the time of going to press.Several key sectors of the economy are expected to begin operations from Monday as the Centre has given its nod for a limited start to jumpstart activities in some segments but industry representatives say it would be a tough task given the lack of public transport and several other restrictions such as movement of inter-state labour.Emphasising that the world will require new business models in the wake of the devastation wreaked by coronavirus, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon the country's youth to summon their spirit of innovation to come up with solutions for the post-pandemic world. He said the world was in pursuit of new business models and India could take the lead. Modi also emphasised that the virus did not discriminate between people on the basis of faith, community, race or nationality.The Centre on Sunday rescinded permission to e-commerce firms to resume the sale and delivery of non-essential items from Monday, a move that seems to have been prompted by protests by local traders whose businesses will continue to face restrictions during the extended national lockdown till May 3.The United States has carried out more tests for the novel coronavirus pandemic than 10 other countries--France, United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, India, Austria, Australia, Sweden and Canada, President Donald Trump has said. The number of COVID-19 deaths in the US crossed 40,000 and the total infections were more than 764,000 so far.World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Sunday that lifting lockdown restrictions for Covid-19 is not the end of the epidemic, it's just the beginning of the next phase.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. Spain had the most cases in the region with 191,726, followed by Italy, Germany, Britain and France. Italy has the most deaths in Europe, with 23,227, followed by Spain, France, Britain and Belgium. Europe accounts for almost half the global case load and more than half the total deaths.The total death toll in the United States has surpassed 40,000 on Sunday. More than 10,000 deaths have been reported in the US over the past four days after the 30,000-death threshold was passed on Thursday. The state of New York has been the epicenter of the outbreak in the US, having registered 13,869 deaths as of Sunday. More than 740,000 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the US, the most by any country in the world.