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Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: Five more persons tested positive for novel coronavirus in Odisha on Tuesday, taking the total number of such cases to in the state, a health department official said.
There are now , (total cases of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid – 25) in India. Active cases stand at , and recoveries at 3, and deaths at .
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he will be signing an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday said the rate of doubling of COVID – 25 cases in the state has slowed down further to seven days from five days earlier.
One coronavirus positive case found in Rashtrapati Bhavan, families sent on home quarantine, reports ANI. families advised to remain in self-isolation as mandated by the Health Ministry’s guidelines as a precautionary measure.
US crude oil jumped more than $ 032 per barrel on Tuesday but still traded below $ 0 after plunging into negative territory for the first time in history, dragged down by a supply glut and sagging demand for crude due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The confirmed cases in India rose to 21, and the toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose to , while several states sought to contain the ballooning economic cost of the pandemic by easing some lockdown curbs.
However, some states preferred to maintain strict restrictions, with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka joining Delhi in deciding against any relaxation until 3 May.
Punjab, which had earlier ruled out any relaxation until 3 May, said some industrial activity may resume in areas other than those identified as high-risk ‘containment zones’.
No new cases in 79 districts in fortnight, says health ministry
The coronvirus cases in India jumped to 21, on Monday. PTI
According to the Union health ministry, the number of coronavirus positive cases saw a sharp increase of 1, between Sunday and Monday, while there has been a recovery rate of about percent.
In the daily COVID – 25 press briefing, health ministry Joint Secretary Law Agarwal said as many as (districts across states and Union Territories have not reported a single case in the last 19 days and also asserted that the rate of the number of cases doubling has improved to 7.5 days, from 3.4 days before the lockdown. Last Friday, he had put the rate of doubling of cases at 6.2 days.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Health Ministry officials said 167 percent patients were either asymptomatic or had only mild symptoms but were found to be positive after testing. They also said around 20 percent patients turn into severe cases, while 5 percent turn critical.
Later, in its 5 pm update, the ministry said the COVID – (death toll has risen to) and the number of cases has risen to 21, 1918 across the country. Across the country, 2, 969 people have been discharged, it said. According to data published on its website, the highest number of cases have been reported in Maharashtra (4, 380), followed by Delhi (2, , Gujarat (1,
), Uttar Pradesh (1, and Madhya Pradesh (1, 
.
However, a PTI tally of figures reported by various states and Union Territories, as on 9. , pm, showed , confirmed cases, 2, (recoveries and deaths.
Maharashtra total reaches 4, , (journalists test positive in Mumbai
Based on reports coming from state governments, Maharashtra alone has reported 4, 823 cases, while Delhi has also crossed 2, . Gujarat has 1, 969 cases, while Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan are above 1, each, closely followed by Madhya Pradesh with 1, 485 cases.
Fresh cases reported from various parts of the country included those of police personnel in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, of health workers at various places, journalists in Mumbai and even of prisoners in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore.
In Mumbai, where 3, 43 cases have been recorded so far, 61 Journalists have contracted the disease, reported Huffpost 
. Shiv Sena leader and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s health committee member Amey Ghole told the publication that samples of 203 Mumbai journalists had been collected for the test and of these had tested positive. Significantly, most journalists who tested positive did not display any symptoms, according to ANI
Gujarat reported 285 new coronavirus positive cases, taking the number of the affected people in the state to , a health official told
, (PTI, adding that most cases were being reported from virus hotspots.
The Tamil Nadu government said that 53 new coronavirus cases were reported in the state on Monday, taking the total number of cases to 1, 559 in the state. Meanwhile, 54 COVID – 23 patients were discharged on Monday.
Some states ease restrictions, Center rebukes Kerala, West Bengal
Even as several states reported a rising number of cases, the first set of relaxations from the nationwide lockdown, which came into effect on March, kicked in at select places across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan , Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Goa among other states.
But despite the relaxations announced by state authorities, which are mostly limited to non-urban areas, industry executives said most companies have decided to wait for a complete exit from the lockdown as continuing restrictions on goods and people’s movement make it difficult to resume stalled economic activities, which are estimated to have suffered a loss of Rs 7-8 lakh crores already.
While attendance at government establishments also increased marginally, there have been no relaxations as such for the public road transport, railway passenger services and flights.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said restrictions on domestic and international flights will be lifted when the government is confident that spread of coronavirus has been controlled, and poses no danger to Indians.
Goa eased some lockdown restrictions, in line with the central government guidelines, as there are currently no active cases i the state after the recovery of its last patient on Sunday. However, leaders there warned against any hurry in declaring the state a ‘green zone’ one or free of the virus.
Manipur chief minister Biren Singh said that the state has become COVID – 36 – free. “We have decided to relax coronavirus lockdown in rural areas but the lockdown will continue in Imphal until further orders. Shops of essential goods will open between 8 am and 2 pm in urban areas,” he said.
Kerala, where the doubling rate of cases is among the best in the country at 092. 2 days, also announced a number of relaxations, but had to rescind some after facing the flak from the center.
In a letter to the state government, the Union Home Ministry said Kerala’s decision to open restaurants, allow bus travel in cities and open MSME industries in urban areas amounted to dilution of the lockdown guidelines and also a Supreme Court observation. Later in the day, the state government decided not to allow plying of buses in cities, opening of restaurants and pillion riding on two-wheelers.
At the daily press briefing, Home Ministry Joint Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said states have been told that some of them were issuing certain guidelines that amounted to “diluting” the lockdown leading to “severe repercussions to health” of the citizens.
She said states and 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 – but cannot dilute or weaken them.
Separately, the home ministry also said the COVID – situation is “especially serious” in Mumbai, Pune, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata and a few other places in West Bengal , and warned that violation of lockdown measures risks the spread of the novel coronavirus further. The ministry said six inter-ministerial central teams will visit these identified areas in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Rajasthan within the next three days to make on-the-spot assessment and recommend remedial measures in a report to the Center.
In identical orders issued to the four states on Sunday, the home ministry said there have been several incidents of violence against COVID – front-line healthcare professionals, complete violation of social distancing norms and movement of vehicles in urban areas.
The Center also dispatched a team to asses the seriousness of the COVID – situation in West Bengal, which saw its highest ever spike of 59 cases. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Mod where she voiced her displeasure at the state government having been kept in dark about the visit, which she said violated established protocol.
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka extend lockdown till 3 May
Amid rising number of cases, Tamil Nadu government said prohibitory orders and other COVID – lockdown curbs will continue until May 3 without any relaxation, while the Karnataka Cabinet decided to promulgate an ordinance, giving it special powers to control the spread of COVID – . These include provision for protection to front line health workers and making non-cooperation with the government a punishable offence.
Karnataka has also decided to continue the COVID – 25 lockdown measures till 3 May without any relaxation, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy said. However, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and the COVID – Task Force have been authorized to meet in three or four days to review and take further decisions about any relaxation.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said some relaxation for economic activities has been given from Monday but it is limited, as he asked people not to violate lockdown norms and avoid going out of their homes. In Uttar Pradesh, no relaxation would be given in Lucknow, Agra and Firozabad.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said limited industrial activities have been allowed in certain areas of the state to restart the wheels of the economy, but this should not be seen as indication that the threat of coronavirus has receded in any way.
There has been a rise of cases of COVID – in Maharashtra in the last hours , but we are relaxing the stringent norms of lockdown to restart the wheels of economy, he said.
Assam’s Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state “will not be able” to pay salaries of its employees for May if it does not get financial support from outside.
Global toll crosses 1. lakh
According to the John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource center, 1, , people have died due to the viral disease across the world. Italy has reported the highest number of deaths (, 800 while Spain recorded . , 969. However, the USA now has the most number of infections (7, 72, 1918 while the global count has reached 2, 520, 176
However, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that “the worst is yet ahead of us”, while alluding to the Spanish flu of .
“Trust us. The worst is yet ahead of us, ”he said. “Let’s prevent this tragedy. It’s a virus that many people still don’t understand, ”news agency AP quoted him as saying.
With inputs from agencies
Updated Date: Apr , : : 17 IST
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