India has recorded 11,933 coronavirus cases and 392 deaths so far, as the government permitted reopening up of some industries in rural areas after April 20 in an effort to reduce the economic impact caused by the lockdown..Maharashtra, which is India's worst affected state with 2916 coronavirus cases, now has the highest death rate in India at 6.8 per cent..The Ministry of Home Affairs, earlier today, issued revised guidelines for the extended lockdown, in which it gave relaxation to agriculture, e-commerce and select industrial activities from April 20..Meanwhile, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said that after April 20, restrictions will be eased in some districts depending on the cases in that area..With the extension of the lockdown, the Indian Railways and the aviation regulatory body DGCA stated that rail and air services will also remain suspended till May 3..Here are the LIVE UPDATES: .Kerala Government issued orders giving permission for interstate travel during lockdown for those with valid documents on three grounds — pregnant women, to receive treatment in Kerala and death of a relative or an imminent death..Six new positive cases of COVID- 19 were reported in Telangana on Wednesday, taking the number of active cases to 514 in the state, the government said. The number of total positive cases in the state mounted to 650, a media bulletin on COVID-19said. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)."It (USCIRF) must stop adding religious colour to our national goal of fighting the pandemic and distract from larger efforts. No segregation is being done in civil hospitals on the basis of religion, as clarified by the Gujarat Government," says Anurag Srivastava, MEA Spokesperson. Total 2,74,599 samples from 2,58,730 individuals have been tested as on 9 PM today. 11297 individuals confirmed COVID-19 positive among suspected cases & contacts of known positive cases. 28941 samples reported today, of which 953 tested positive .As many as 69 pregnant women in Shirur tehsil of Maharashtra's Pune district were placed under home quarantine, after a radiologist who had attended to them tested positive for coronavirus, an official said on Wednesday. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)For representational purpose. (Photo | EPS).Amid nationwide lockdown, first flight from Kerala to UK takes off with 268 tourists stranded in south India since the coronavirus pandemic put a check on public transportation..Maharashtra has emerged as a global hotspot of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of mortality rates giving a huge cause of concern to health authorities in the state and the Centre.The state health department, however, rejected the report saying while there is no doubt that the mortality rate in Maharashtra is among the highest in the world, it is lower than that of two states – Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. (READ FULL REPORT HERE) .With one more COVID-19 patient in Goa testing negative for the infection in the fresh test conducted on Wednesday, the number of active cases in the state has come down to one, officials said..The radiologist, who lives in Pune, visited clinics in and around Shirur tehsil and had performed sonographies on 69 pregnant women at a clinic in Shikrapur on April 6, 7 and 8. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).In the wake of a coronavirus case reported from the crowded Vaniyambadi Fort area, the district administration has decided to declare the town a no-go zone from Thursday. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)Tamil Nadu has so far reported over 1200 COVID-19 positive cases. (Photo | R Satish Babu, EPS). Bengaluru urban Mysuru Belagavi .In a shocker, Maharashtra on Tuesday emerged as a global hotspot of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of the mortality rate giving a huge cause of concern to health authorities in the state and the Centre. (READ FULL REPORT HERE). Total progressive patients: 2916 Number of deaths: 187 Number of patients discharged: 295 Number of people home quarantined: 69,738 Those institutional quarantine: 5617 .1. Chennai12. Theni2. Trichy13. Namakkal3. Kovai14. Chengalpattu4. Tirunelveli15. Madurai5. Erode16. Virudhunagar6. Vellore17. Kanyakumari7. Dindigul18. Cuddalore8. Villupuram19. Tiruvallur9. Tutucorin20. Tiruvarur10. Karur21. Salem11. Tiruppur22. Nagapattinam .Corona positive cases: 186Death: 13Recovered: 27Corona positives cases: 190Deaths: 2Recovered: 41.With alarming rise in coronavirus positive cases, Delhi government has decided to use convalescent plasma technique on trial basis to treat patients suffering from COVID 19. Following a review meeting on patient management in city’s hospitals with chief minister Arvind Kerjiwal and senior government officials including health department, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil made an announcement in this regard on Wednesday. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Total case: 300New cases today: 22No deaths reported so farTotal cases: 727Death toll: 11Recovered: 11Total cases: 213Death toll: 7Recovered: 4.Meanwhile, two more nurses, aged 41 years and 47 years at Sassoon Hospital, tested positive for COVID-19 today.(READ FULL REPORT HERE).The guidelines issued by the ministry also make wearing of face masks in public places mandatory. Spitting in public is an offence under municipal laws in various cities, but it is hardly taken seriously by the people in the country.(READ FULL REPORT HERE).At least 2,000,576 infections, including 126,871 deaths, have been recorded. Europe is the hardest hit continent, with 1,010,858 cases and 85,271 fatalities. The United States, where the virus is spreading most rapidly, registered 609,240 cases, and 26,033 deaths.(READ FULL REPORT HERE).Chandigarh has imposed restrictions until May 3. But Parida said any relaxations would be considered only after April 20. Chandigarh has reported 21 coronavirus cases to date. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).The Indian Railways has said that all passengers will get a full refund for tickets booked for the period of the extended lockdown.(READ FULL REPORT HERE).Ever wondered why some COVID-19 tests require nose or mouth swabs while others use blood samples? Here's a handy guide on how COVID-19 testing works. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Three former beauty queens -- Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar from India, Miss World 2016 Stephanie Del Valle from Puerto Rico and Miss World 2018 Vanessa Ponce from Mexico -- have come together to raise awareness on coronavirus and discuss how to battle the stigma of infection that is on the rise. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Gamcha is a traditional thin, coarse cotton towel used to dry the body after bathing or wiping sweat. The youths, irrespective of their castes and creeds as well as educational qualifications, have now started wrapping up the gamcha around their necks even when they are in western attires such as jeans and T-shirts. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).In a major industrial hub like Ambur, located in Tirupathur district, entrepreneurs do not have access to even ATMs as bank branches and ATM centres were closed down as part of the total lockdown to check the spread of COVID-19.(READ FULL REPORT HERE).The next 2-3 weeks are going to be the most crucial in handling the COVID-19 pandemic particularly in India: Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan(File Photo | PTI).Two persons have tested positive for coronavirus in the state so far. On April 10, Tripura confirmed its second case of the novel coronavirus. According to the authorities, the person had travelled along with a COVID-19 patient in the train. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Kandhalvi had organised the religious gathering at Nizamuddin Markaz last month against the social distancing protocol imposed by the Centre to curb the spread of the deadly disease. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).The tool visualises the movement of people in dozens of major cities and countries around the world based on the number of requests made for directions on Apple Maps since January 13. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).The incident took place in the early hours of the day, when the woman allegedly hanged herself using a scarf in the bathroom of ward no 25, an official said. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).No community transmission in India so far170 districts declared hotspots in India207 districts identified as non hotspots3 zones identifed for effective containment1076 positive cases reported in last 24 hours11.41 per cent have recovered so far.The districts of the country will be classified into 3 categories - hotspot districts, non-hotspot districts but where cases are being reported and green zone districts: Lav Agrawal, Joint Secretary Ministry of Health.(Photo | U Rakesh Kumar, EPS).Death toll is 377, total cases cross 11,400 markStrict restrictions across India till April 20Door-to-door survey being conducted in hotsptsNew guidelines issued for hotbeds across IndiaExit strategy being mapped out for the countryNew COVID-19 hospitals to be set upExtensive contact tracing of infected being doneCurbs to be eased post April 20 in Green Zones.Maharashtra continues to remain the worst COVID-19 affected state. In Mumbai, ten more staff members of a hospital have tested positive for COVID-19. They were in quarantine after three patients admitted at the hospital had tested positive earlier. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Ever since the lockdown began in March 23, about 26,000 new addicts have joined the OOAT centres in the state. Highly placed sources said that scarcity of drugs due to the coronavirus lockdown has forced drug addicts to get enrolled for treatment at government and private-run de-addiction centres. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).The government resisted calls to postpone the parliamentary elections billed as a midterm referendum for President Moon Jae-in, who enters the final years of his term grappling with a historic public health crisis that is unleashing massive economic shock. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Second Lieutenant Ermando Piveta, who served in the Brazilian artillery in Africa during the Second World War, was brought out of Brasilia's Armed Forces Hospital to trumpet music and applause. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Even during the turbulent times post the Supreme Court verdict on women's entry to the Sabarimala temple, the number of cases and arrests was much fewer. Less than 7000 people were arrested for opposing the Supreme Court verdict, said senior police officers said. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused the Geneva-based body of putting political correctness above life-saving measures as he ordered the funding freeze for "mismanaging" the pandemic. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Puppet show awarness for corona at villivakkam bus depot, in Chennai. (Photo | R. Satish Babu, EPS).Known for completing electrification in villages before the deadline and establishing wide networks of world class roads and bridges, Amrit has successfully managed the arrival of over 1.8 lakh migrants from other states amid the lockdown in Bihar. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).On March 21, some organisations working for the survivors of Bhopal gas tragedy wrote to the authorities concerned, saying such people were more vulnerable to the coronavirus infection than normal individuals. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).The doctor had no travel history except that his son-in-law, who is a pilot, had been to COVID-19 infected countries, and had returned home on March 22. According to health officials in Shillong, the pilot, however, did not show any symptoms of coronavirus and was an asymptomatic case. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Total cases 277 Deaths 11 Recovered 75 (Inputs from ENS).Social distancing is nearly unthinkable. “Lakhs of people are literarily crammed here. There is no proper ventilation, light and other basic facilities like water... We lack basic things,” social activist Rajendra Korade had told The New Indian Express recently. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Gujarat CM Vijesh Rupani not to meet anyone for one week as MLA whom he met tests coronavirus positive, said CMO. (Inputs from PTI).President Xi Jinping warned the public on the seventh day, Jan. 20. But by then, more than 3,000 people had been infected during almost a week of public silence, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press and estimates based on retrospective infection data. (READ FULL STORY HERE).While 277 cases have been identified till Wednesday, 75 recovered and 11 succumbed so far..There was no testing infrastructure earlier, tests were not even being done till 23rd March. Now we have nine functional labs. We are also sending samples to Delhi for tests. That is why the number of cases is rising: Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan..Total count of COVID-19 positive cases rose to 70 in Bihar with four new cases detected now..Air India is operating rescue flight from Ahmedabad to Mumbai with around 180 US nationals, after that they will board a Delta Airlines flight to the US from Mumbai: Ahmedabad Airport official.Including 29 positive cases on Wednesday, the tally stands at 1034. While 147 have recovered, twelve got succumbed so far in the state..Four more COVID-19 positive cases reported in Gujarat (56 today): State Health Department..Police have arrested Fr. Augustine Palayil, priest of Stella Maris Church in Willingdon Island in Kochi, allegedly for gathering people and conducting mass. Six devotees have also been arrested for participating in it: SHO, Harbour Janamaithri Police.In Indore, there are 544 psitive cases till Wednesday, while 37 have died in the city so far..Noting that the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government in West Bengal should be "shown the door" for "failing" to ensure social distancing or curbing religious congregations, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said requisitioning for central paramilitary forces must be examined to implement the lockdown in the state."Lockdown protocol has to be thoroughly implemented to ward off #coronavirus. Police and administration @MamataOfficial failing to effect 100% #SocialDistancing or curbing religious congregations be shown door," Dhankhar tweeted."Lockdown must succeed-examine central para forces requisitioning!" the governor added. Dhankhar has been at loggerheads with the state government over a host of issues ever since taking up office in July last year..52 more COVID-19 cases and two more deaths (Ahmedabad & Surat) reported in Gujarat. The total number of coronavirus cases in the state is at 695 and virus-related deaths at 30: State Health Department..Bank branches and ATMs, IT vendors for banking operations, banking correspondents, ATM operation and cash management agencies to remain functional. MNREGA works are allowed with strict implementation of social distancing and face mask..In Madhya Pradesh, total positive cases till Wednesday morning stands at 874. So far 53 have died and 64 tested negative.Total positive cases in Northeast 46Assam 32Manipur 2Tripura 2Arunachal 1Mizoram 1Nagaland 1Meghalaya 7Deaths 2 (1 each in Assam and Meghalaya) Discharged from hospital 1 (Manipur) (Latest death is in Meghalaya. Deceased was a doctor).All agricultural & horticultural activities to remain fully functional, such as - Shops of agriculture machinery, its spare parts (including its supply chain) and repairs to remain open. Movement (inter & intra state) of harvesting & sowing related machines to remain operational.Manufacturing, industrial establishments with access control will be allowed in SEZs, EoUs, industrial estates and industrial townships after implementation of SOP for social distancing. Manufacture of IT hardware and of essential goods and packaging can start.All religious places shall be closed for public, religious congregations are strictly prohibited until May 3. In case of funerals, congregation of more than 20 persons will not be permitted for the period.All educational, training institution etc shall remain closed, taxis (including auto & cycle rickshaws) & services of cab aggregators to remain prohibited until May 3.Cinema halls, malls,shopping/sports complexes,gyms,swimming pools,theaters, bars etc to remain closed till May 3 Until May 3, all domestic & international air travel of passengers(except for security purposes), passenger movement by trains(except for security purposes), buses for public transport, metro rail services to remain prohibited..Total 60 Coronavirus positive patients while seven dead in DharaviCOVID19 update from Dharavi: Five new cases47F 25 M 39F 38 M 24 M Mukund nagar High risk - investigation is progressTotal cases Dharavi- 60 ( 7 dead )Dr baliga nagar: 5 ( 2 dead )Vaibhav appts: 2Mukund nagar 14 ( 5 new )Madina Nagar: 2.Dhanwada chawl: 1.Muslim nagar: 7 ( 1 dead )Social Nagar: 6. ( 1 dead )Janata Society: 7Kaylanwadi: 4 ( 2 dead)PMGP Colony: 1 Murugan Chawl: 2Rajiv Gandhi Chawl: 2Shashtri nagar ( kela Bakhar ): 4Nehru Chawl: 1 ( dead)Indira Chawl:1Gulmohar Chawl: 1.Out of the 806 samples which were tested yesterday, 45 have tested positive for coronavirus : King George's Medical University, Lucknow..Five new coronavirus positive cases reported in Dharavi. The total number of positive cases in the area have now risen to 60 (including seven deaths): Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)..10 more staff of a hospital have tested positive for COVID-19. They were in quarantine after three patients admitted there had tested positive. A total of 35 staff of the hospital have tested positive for the Coronavirus till now. They are being treated at the hospital itself..38 deaths and 1076 new cases reported in last 24 hours. India's total number of coronavirus positive cases rises to 11,439 (including 9756 active cases, 1306 cured/discharged/migrated and 377 deaths): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare..Vinay Dubey who was detained in Airoli for threatening a huge protest by migrant labourers in Kurla, Mumbai on 18th April, has been arrested by Mumbai police, under IPC sections 117, 153 A, 188, 269, 270, 505 (2) and Section 3 of The Epidemic Diseases Act. He will be produced before a local court later today..Cancellation of 'darsanam' at Lord Balaji Temple in Tirumala has been extended till third May. All rituals are being performed in isolation: Anil Kumar Singhal, Executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams..United States registers record 2,228 coronavirus deaths in past 24 hours, according to Johns Hopkins tally: AFP news agency..'Not the time to reduce the resources' of World Health Organisation (WHO), reports AFP news agency quoting UN chief..US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he has instructed his administration to halt World Health Organisation's funding while a review is being conducted in the WHO's "role in severely mismanaging and covering up" the spread of coronavirus after it emerged in China.FOR FULL REPORT, CLICK HERE.A one-off lockdown won't halt the novel coronavirus and repeated periods of social distancing may be required into 2022 to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, Harvard scientists who modeled the pandemic's trajectory said Tuesday.FOR DETAILED REPORT, CLICK HERE.As the world freezes, paralysed and petrified by Covid-19, the question needs to be posed as to who are its co-conspirators? Does the virus kill most of its victims on its own or does it collude with other killers to launch a lethal attack on human bodies?PADMA BHUSHAN RECIPIENT DR K SRINATH REDDY WRITES.As the world freezes, paralysed and petrified by Covid-19, the question needs to be posed as to who are its co-conspirators? Does the virus kill most of its victims on its own or does it collude with other killers to launch a lethal attack on human bodies?DR K SRINATH REDDY WRITES.Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said police personnel in the state will be given PPE kits keeping in view their role in the fight against coronavirus. His statement has come a day after an assistant commissioner of police in Ludhiana tested positive for the infection. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).For representational purpose. (Photo | AP).The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Tuesday increased to 1561, with 51 fresh cases and two deaths being reported in a day, according to Delhi government authorities. Of the total cases, 1080 are those who have been brought to facilities through special operations. .Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh ordered the inquiry in the Bandra incident. He said that based on the rumour that the trains will resume service, on Tuesday the migrants assembled at Bandra Central station..Eleven foreign nationals owing allegiance to Tablighi Jamaat have beenarrested for violating visa terms by visiting this north Bihar district without informing the local police and carrying out religious preaching, a senior official said on Tuesday..Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday extended the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic until the end of this month as the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 5,837..An Italian woman who took her pizza-sized turtle out for a walk has been fined 400 euros ($440) by the Roman police for breaking strict coronavirus confinement rules. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Railways isset to cancel around 39 lakh tickets booked for travel between April 15 and May 3 due to extension of the nationwide lockdown and suspension of passenger trains till then in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, sources said..A Congress legislator from Gujarat's Jamalpur Khadia, a part of a coronavirus hotspot in Ahmedabad, was found to be positive for the dreaded virus on Tuesday. Significantly, Imran Khedawala had met Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and other top officials on Tuesday afternoon regarding the outbreak. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)Gujarat MLA Imran Khedawala (Photo | Twitter).The oldest person to test positive for coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh was an 80-year old woman from Guntur while the youngest were two three-year old girls, one from Kurnool and another from East Godavari district. Of the total 483 COVID-19 cases registered in the state from March 12 to April 14, 125 were female and the rest male. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said the state government has deposited Rs 2,000 in the bank accounts of many Manipuris stranded in different states due to the lockdown as they are facing financial and other problems. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Eight more people contracted coronavirus in Punjab on Tuesday, pushing the total number of cases in the state to 184, an official said. With a COVID-19 patient passing away in Jalandhar, the overall death toll reached 13 in the state, he said..Two fresh coronavirus cases were reported from Haryana's Faridabad district, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 184 on Tuesday, officials said..The IMF said on Tuesday: In the April World Economic Outlook we project global growth in 2020 to fall to -3 per cent — far worse than its 0.1% dip in the Great Recession year of 2009 — before rebounding in 2021 with 5.8% growth. It acknowledges, though, that prospects for a rebound next year are clouded by uncertainty. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Doctors, retired medical practitioners from the Armed Forces, retired para medical staff and trained medicos who are yet to find work have emailed their applications on covidyoddha@gmail.com in response to Thackeray's appeal last week. (READ FULLE REPORT HERE).The authorities here have issued show cause notices to two hospitals after they allegedly denied medical care to a patient coming from a COVID-19 hotspot area, officials said on Tuesday. The hospitals will have to respond to the notices within three days, explaining why they did not provide medical care to a patient from Ramganj area here, the officials said. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).A large group of migrant labourers had gathered in Surat today, demanding permission to return to their native states. They later dispersed after police intervened and persuaded them to vacate the area & return to the place of their stay..After her shift ends at the isolation ward of MGMGH, Radhika (name changed) enters her house from the back door, even as her four-year-old watches her from the gate. She first takes a shower, washes the clothes that she had worn and puts them out to dry along with her purse and lunch bag.“There is a stay facility arranged in the hospital but I chose to come home as my son is unwell. He wants me to pick him up, but I have to say no. It’s like a dagger through my heart,” says Radhika. (READFULL REPORT HERE).The rate of new cases doubling has slowed down markedly, despite the number of tests increasing. These are positive signs. If this trend continues, we can expect the epidemic to peak by end of April. To avoid going the way of the high-toll countries, we need to continue social distancing and contain spread from high case density zones to low case density zones, says Dr Srinath Reddy. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)For representational purpose. (Photo | U Rakesh Kumar, EPS).The lockdown extension has suddenly stirred up a witches' brew for the Indian economy. All was relatively well until Tuesday morning even though the country was losing out USD 4-5 billion a day (or more) in lost national output during the 21-day lockdown period. Yet, FY21 growth estimates were within the respectable 1-2 per cent and nowhere near the negative territory. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Local Police officials went to Bandra on hearing about the gathering. They initially tried to talk to the people there and convince them to disperse. However, the talks soon escalated and the crowd turned violent, so light force had to be used to bring them under control. The crowd has diffused now. Police personnel have been deployed at the spot. Everything is normal and peaceful in Bandra now: Mumbai police.Home Minister Amit Shah called Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and expressed concern over the Bandra gathering. Shah said administration needs to stay vigilant to avoid such incidents..204 Coronavirus positive cases and 11 deaths reported in Mumbai today. The total number of positive cases in Mumbai rises to 1753 (including 111 deaths): Municipal Corporation Greater Mumbai .An Indian Army Doctor involved in the anti-COVID-19 operations has tested positive for Coronavirus taking the tally of infected person in the 1.3 million-strong force to five. "The Army doctor is posted in the national capital as part of the Army headquarters and was involved in the anti-COVID operations," Army sources said. .The furious workers, who are working at a site in Aishwarya Nagar in Ayanambakkam, said they were unable to send money home to their families for the last two months as they have been facing financial difficulties during the lockdown..With this subdued forecast, India is likely to record its worst growth performance since the 1991 liberalisation. But the International Monetary Fund, in its latest edition of the World Economy report, has placed India as the fastest-growing emerging economies of the world. READ FULL REPORT HERE.Australia’s prime minister has described as “unfathomable” the World Health Organization’s support for the reopening of markets where live animals are butchered in Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the coronavirus pandemic. “We need to protect the world against potential sources of outbreaks of these types of viruses. It’s happened too many times. I’m totally puzzled by this decision,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Nine Network television on Tuesday. “I think that’s unfathomable, frankly.” .Densely-populated slum pockets in Bhavani Peth and under Kasba Vishrambaug and Dhole Patil ward offices have reported at least 158 COVID-19 cases. Out of the total 34 deaths in Pune district till Monday, 11 fatalities were reported from Bhavani Peth area alone, which includes some slum pockets, the civic body said. .A private hospital was shut and 65 staff members of the government-run KGMU in Uttar Pardesh's Lucknow were quarantined after a patient who came in their contact tested positive for coronavirus, reported PTI. .COVSACK was designed and developed by Dr Jaiteerth Joshi, Sc 'G', DRDL, Hyderabad reduces the need for PPE kits among health care workers who take samples from suspected patients, according to DRDO. There is zero human intervention even in disinfecting the kiosk, because of the auto-disinfection system in place. .29 deaths and 1463 new cases reported in last 24 hours, the sharpest ever increase in cases. India's total number of #Coronavirus positive cases rises to 10,815 (including 9272 active cases, 1190 cured/discharged/migrated and 353 deaths): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare .Angered by Shashikala Bai's suggestion, the youths attacked her at her home causing grievous injuries. She was later admitted to the general hospital at Honnali after getting first aid at Savalanga CHC. READ FULL REPORT HERE.The state which was in third position in terms of the number of cases in March has now dropped to No.12, he added. "Each and everyone from grassroot level Anganwadi workers to officials to ministers to the Chief Minister worked as a team to ensure public health and safety and the result is visible," the health minister said. .The masks were allegedly washed, ironed and packed in boxes for resale, she said, adding that the police had arrested Nagraj Pilla (33), Rohit Kothari (30) and Mohammad Nigar Shaikh (28). .Sources said a senior PMO official recently called up Joint Magistrate-SDM Gaurav Singh Sogarwal, the brain behind the online delivery portal, to compliment him. The official asked Sogarwal about the nitty-gritty of the system that he has evolved so that his model could be replicated in other parts of the country. READ FULL REPORT HERE.The Punjab Government on Tuesday withdrew the security cover of Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) MLA Simranjit Singh Bains, as he came in support of the Nihangs who chopped off the hand of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Harjit Singh. The legislator had said that the Nihangs did so to avenge the wrongdoings committed by the Punjab Police. .1211 cases, 31 deaths reported in the last 24 hours339 deaths reported across India10363 positive cases in IndiaTesting kits to last for six weeks .2.37 lakh samples tested so farOver 18,000 samples in ICMR labs166 government and 70 private labs working .Centre monitoring relief package disbursementFree ration given to 5.29 crore beneficiaries As on April 13 more than 32 crore poor people have been provided financial support of Rs 29,352 crore. As on April 13 more than 32 crore poor people have been provided financial support of Rs 29,352 crore..Additional Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan said the state government had received 1000 Rapid Testing Kits for COVID-19 testing on Tuesday from the ICMR. The two districts of SAS Nagar (Mohali) and Jalandhar have been given 500 kits each to start the testing process. The facility is likely to be extended to other districts, according to the situation of suspected cases and availability of kits. READ FULL REPORT HERE.It's easy to shut down an academy housing athletes, but what do you do if the facility houses expensive horses! Humans can be barred from training due to the COVID-19 outbreak, not equines. One such centre in Bhopal is working round the clock to ensure that the inmates stay fit and free from diseases. Spread over 25 acres in the outskirts of the capital of the state, the Madhya Pradesh Equestrian Academy has 35 horses. .With Ahmedabad alone accounting for 346 of the total 617 coronavirus positive cases in Gujarat, the city civic body has readied the country's largest COVID-19 Care Centre with a capacity to accommodate 2000 patients who are not suffering from any underlying health issues. .The two districts adjoining Delhi in western Uttar Pradesh have together recorded 107 COVID-19 cases -- 27 in Ghaziabad and 80 in Gautam Buddh Nagar -- so far, according to official figures. Over 57,000 of these masks have been made at the Dasna jail in Ghaziabad, while 27,500 have been stitched at the Luksar jail in Gautam Buddh Nagar, officials said. READ FULL REPORT HERE.Anil Deshmukh made the announcement through a loudspeaker attached to a drone that is being used to maintain vigil in densely-populated areas like the Koliwada, a fisherfolk village, and issue government instructions to residents. Drones will be used in densely-populated areas like this to give instructions to people that they should not step out of their homes unnecessarily, and cooperate with police. ."It may be early to talk about results in numbers, but a six-week nationwide lockdown to facilitate effective physical distancing, coupled with the expansion of core public health measures such as detection, isolation and tracing contact of coronavirus positive people, would go a long way in arresting the virus spread," said WHO's South-East Asia Regional Director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh..There are 47 'Red Zones' in Delhi now. We've made the criteria more stringent now. Earlier an area used to be declared a 'Red Zone' if 10 or more positive cases were found there. Now,if 3 cases are found in an area it'll be declared a 'Red Zone' & contained. An area where 1 or 2 positive cases are found is considered an 'Orange Zone'. It is monitored & declared a 'Red Zone' if more cases are found there. We haven't received the rapid testing kits yet. There is a great need for them. The central govt is about to receive the kits which have been imported, then we will get too. We will start working with it, the day we receive it: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain .Four more deaths reported in Pune today. All the four had tested positive for COVID19 and also had co-morbidity. A total of 38 people have died in the city now: Pune Health Officials .Children across the country have another shot at displaying their creativity and joining the global fight against the deadly pandemic. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) which is fighting against COVID-19 on many fronts has now launched a national 'poster making challenge' for school students.READ FULL REPORT HERE.The ICMR nod assumes significance in the wake of the rising coronavirus cases in state where the number of patients stands at 639 till Tuesday morning and eight persons have succumbed to the deadly virus. .The Ministry of Labour & Employment has set up 20 control rooms to address wage-related grievances of workers and other issues READ FULL REPORT HERE.With today’s announcement of extending complete lockdown in the country till May 3, metro rail services will continue to be suspended till May 3: Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs .A major portion of the alcohol industry's production is used in making sanitisers. The stock of 70 lakhs proof litre that we had was transported in the amount of 2 lakhs proof litre every day to various states for sanitisers. This created shortage here so the health and spirit industry requested us to resume the production in the state. That is why we took the decision of restarting the alcohol industry at full capacity: Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala .Chennai Police have started booking people and seizing their vehicles if they step out of their homes without wearing a mask. This was implemented a day after the Greater Chennai Corporation said people must wear masks compulsorily with immediate effect when they step out and warned of action in case of violations..Vijayapura has reported its first COVID-19 death -- the ninth in the state -- as a 69-year-old man who died on Sunday night tested positive for the virus. The 69-year-old man's wife had earlier tested positive on April 12. He also had other ailments like blood pressure and high sugar. .All passenger train services on Indian Railways including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban Trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway etc shall continue to remain suspended till the 2400 hrs of 3rd May. For trains cancelled by Indian Railways, full refund will be provided automatically by IRCTC. Users need not cancel their e-tickets. Full fare will be credited back into users accounts from which payment was made, IRCTC has said. READ FULL REPORT HERE.As the lockdown has been extended till May 3 by the government, we will postpone the Indian Premier League for the time being: BCCI Sources .11 new positive cases have been reported in Karnataka from yesterday 5pm till noon today; the total number of positive cases in the state are now 258 including 9 deaths and 65 discharged: Govt of Karnataka .According to the Media Bulletin released today morning, 34 more samples tested from Sunday 5 pm to Monday 9 am came positive for COVID-19 in the state taking the tally to 473. Kurnool district is inching towards three-digit mark with seven more cases recorded taking the tally to 91. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).I assure people again there is enough stock of food, medicines and other essential items in country: Union Home Minister Amit Shah.The decision was taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the lockdown across the country will be extended till May 3 to fight the coronavirus pandemic. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Lockdown extended till May 3Strict monitoring in states till April 20. Graded relaxation in restrictions based on performance after thatTough restrictions for next one week with focus on hotspots Detailed guidelines to be issued by Wednesday. Guidelines drafted keeping poor and daily wage workers in mindTake care of the elderly, particularly those with previous history of illnesses.Follow lockdown rules, social distancing norms strictlyBoost your immunity following tips given by the Ayush Ministry.Download Arogya Setu app. Encourage others to download it too.Help the poor as far as possible.Take care of all workers, don't fire anyone.Respect doctors, nurses, health officials, sanitary workers, the police... Everyone at the forefront of the Covid battle.Fight against coronavirus will be made more stringent in next one week, new hotspots will create new crisis: PM.Govt to come out with extensive guidelines on Wednesday, says PM.In his televised address, PM Modi announced that the nationwide lockdown to curb coronavirus spread will be extended till May 3..India's fight against coronavirus is going on very strongly, says PM Modi in address to the nation.The total number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in India climbed to 10,363, with 1,211 new cases and 31 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the data published by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday. Of these 8,988 are active cases of COVID-19, 1,035 individuals have recovered and discharged from the hospital, one person migrated to another country and 339 people succumbed to the disease..A statistical analysis of active coronavirus cases has revealed a significant decline in reproductive number of SARS CoV 2 virus in India, possibly due to the lockdown and social distancing. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).French President Emmanuel Macron said that the country's coronavirus lockdown will be extended till May 11. He said May 11 will mark the start of a new phase in France. From then on, nurseries and schools will reopen progressively; restaurants, cafes, hotels will remain closed; all people showing COVID-19 symptoms will be tested.FULL REPORT HERE.On the cusp between two lockdowns—one set to be over and another about to be announced—the fight against Covid-19 does not seem entirely insurmountable. On two distinct parameters, the spread of positive cases appears to have plateaued. (READ MORE).On the cusp between two lockdowns—one set to be over and another about to be announced—the fight against Covid-19 does not seem entirely insurmountable. On two distinct parameters, the spread of positive cases appears to have plateaued. (READ MORE).The Supreme Court Monday observed that Indian citizens stranded in various countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic should "stay where they are" after the Centre said it would not be feasible to "selectively evacuate" those who want to return due to various reasons..As the government struggles to arrest the spread of Covid-19, one part of the country could offer grist to researchers in India and perhaps abroad. The seven states in the Northeast, with 8% of India’s landsize and 3.6% of the total population, not only has a mere 35 confirmed cases of the coronavirus but the rate of local transmission is extremely low, prompting health authorities in the region to believe that perhaps its people are more immune. (READ FULE REPORT HERE).The state will implement reverse quarantine to expedite the process of flattening the curve of new Covid-19 cases. Reverse quarantine is the practice of detaching the most vulnerable people from general public. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to announce extension of the lockdown, he is likely to adopt a holistic approach by relaxing restrictions in areas that are relatively free of Covid-19 infections. According to sources, the Centre has lined up measures to kickstart the economy that has come to a standstill since the 21-day nationwide lockdown came into force on March 24. (READ FULL REPORT HERE).Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest