Here are the top developments: 1 India India is between Stage 2 and 3 of coronavirus pandemic with large number of cases being found in particular areas, the Union health ministry said.

The Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to reduce the salaries, allowances and pensions of MPs by 30% for one year and the amount will be utilised in the fight against coronavirus. The President, Vice President, PM, governors of states have also voluntarily decided to take a pay cut.

The Union government has asked the states and Union territories to ensure adequate supply of medical oxygen as it is a critical need in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

More than 25,500 Tablighi Jamaat members and their contacts have been quarantined in the country till now after the Union and state governments conducted a "mega operation" to identify them, MHA said.

Court hearing in congregation must become an "exception" during the "extraordinary outbreak" of COVID-19 pandemic and it is necessary that all courts respond to the call of social distancing to ensure they do not contribute to the spread of virus, the Supreme Court said.

There is a limited evidence on the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine to deal with COVID-19 and there is not enough evidence proof to advise it for people, the ministry of health has said.

The Railways has converted 2,500 coaches into isolation wards, achieving almost half of its target of making 5,000 such coaches, as part of government's efforts to combat coronavirus.

The Central Zoo Authority put all zoos across the country on “highest” alert and asked them to collect samples fortnightly in suspected cases after a tiger at a US zoo tested positive for coronavirus. 2 States Andhra Pradesh: Thirty-seven new COVID-19 cases were reported in Andhra Pradesh, taking the total to 303 in the state.

Uttar Pradesh: The number of coronavirus-positive cases in Uttar Pradesh crossed 300 mark with 27 more persons testing positive, taking the number of infected ones to 305.

Maharashtra: With 120 fresh cases in the state, Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 868.

Delhi: Twenty new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in the national capital, taking the total number of coronavirus cases to 523 in Delhi, while the toll rose to 7.

J&K: Three new novel coronavirus positive cases were reported in Jammu and Kashmir, all from the Kashmir division, taking the total number to 109 in the Union territory.

Kerala: Thirteen more people, two of whom attended the Tablighi Jamaat meet in Delhi, tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala, taking the total number of active cases to 266.

Rajasthan: A 60-year-old coronavirus patient died at a hospital in Kota, with Rajasthan reporting 22 fresh cases, taking the total number to 288.

Tamil Nadu: One more COVID-19 death was reported in Tamil Nadu while 50 people tested positive for coronavirus, including 48 returnees of the Delhi Tablighi Jamaat meet, taking the total number of cases to 621.

West Bengal: The total number of positive cases of coronavirus in the state till now is 61.

Assam: The Assam government said that over 2,000 samples have been tested in the state out of which 26 have tested positive for coronavirus so far.

Jharkhand: One more person from Hindpiri area has tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number to 4 in the state.

Chandigarh: The health department of Chandigarh UT administration said the total number of COVID-19 positive cases stood 18, including five those who have been discharged till now. 3 World The worldwide number of fatalities from the novel coronavirus rose to 70,009 on Monday, according to a tally compiled by AFP.

Pope Francis has earmarked an initial USD 750,000 for a new fund for hospitals, schools, nursing homes and other structures run by the Catholic Church in poor countries to use to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

China stepped up border control measures on Monday as the number of imported coronavirus cases rose sharply to 951 while the asymptomatic cases also surged, raising fears of a second wave of the COVID-19 infections, mainly from Chinese returning home from abroad.

Americans are bracing for the "hardest and saddest" week of their lives with tragedies similar to the 9/11 attacks and the Pearl Harbour bombing, the country's top doctor has warned while the death toll approached the 10,000-mark.

Germany will put all arriving travellers in quarantine for 14 days, the interior ministry said, as Berlin ramps up entry curbs to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Spain declared a fourth consecutive drop in the number of coronavirus-related deaths with 637 over the past 24 hours, the lowest number in nearly two weeks.

The trajectory of coronavirus infections in Iran appears to have started a "gradual" downward trend, the government has said. The COVID-19 outbreak claimed 136 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing Iran's overall death toll to 3,739, putting the total number at 60,500 across the country.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan reached 3,278 as health authorities in the country scramble to contain the spread of the lethal disease by appealing to the public to remain inside their homes

The Nepal government extended the ongoing nationwide lockdown by another eight days till April 15 to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked Union ministers to prepare plans to fight the economic impact of COVID-19 on war footing and asserted that this crisis is an opportunity to boost the 'Make-in-India' initiative and reduce dependence on other countries. Meanwhile, India recorded the highest number of 704 positive cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the total number to 4,281, including 111 deaths.