More than a month into a countrywide lockdown, India reported the biggest single-day jump in the number of coronavirus patients with 2,487 new cases in the last 24 hours, including 83 deaths - also the highest - taking the total to 40,263 cases and 1,306 deaths, the Union Health Ministry said today. In the last week, the country has registered more than 13,000 cases and more than 700 deaths linked to the highly contagious illness, which began in China's Wuhan city in December and has spread to over 180 countries. The lockdown is set to ease from tomorrow in parts of the country that are least affected by the pandemic identified as Orange and Green zones. Strict restrictions continue to be in place in worst-hit districts marked as "Red Zones".
Here are top 10 developments on coronavirus cases in India:
- Fly-pasts, lit up ships at sea and flower showers on hospitals are a part of armed forces' elaborate display today to thank the healthcare workers who have been in forefront in the fight against coronavirus.
- Calling it a "gesture of special gratitude", Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat on Friday said: "The nation stood together, it showed resilience to overcome this crisis. In our country, everybody understands that when it comes to the nation we have to stand together." This is the third massive display of gratitude to those providing healthcare services in the last few weeks.
- Lakhs of stranded migrants, tourists and students have been allowed to travel after centre's nod earlier this week amid a countrywide shutdown. Thousands began their journey back home on Friday as railways started running special trains.
- India's recovery rate - number of patients who have successfully fought the illness - stood at 26.59 per cent this morning. A total of 10,887 patients have recovered so far. Over one million samples have been tested so far, according to the government, out of which 30,000 samples are repeat samples.
- Delhi on Saturday recorded the biggest spike in coronavirus cases on Saturday with 384 new cases, taking the total to 4,122, the third highest in India after Maharashtra and Gujarat. In the national capital, which has over 90 containment zones, the total number of patients who have recovered is 1,256, while 64 have died so far.
- Aviation regulator - the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) - on Saturday issued a circular suspending domestic and international commercial flight operations till May 17 after the Home Ministry extended the ongoing lockdown for two more weeks.
- 122 jawans at a CRPF battalion in Delhi have tested positive for coronavirus in two weeks, officials said on Saturday, adding that test results of 100 others are yet to come. The men belong to the 31st battalion of the paramilitary force, based in east Delhi's Mayur Vihar Phase-3.
- Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the borders with all the states in the northeast, except Sikkim, reopen from today to "ease the return" of those stranded in the other states in the region. "No passes will be required for those travelling from these states," he said in a tweet, adding, "All returnees to be screened at interstate borders for COVID symptoms."
- In a boost for local production of COVID-19 protective gear, the Centre said it has ordered 2.22 crore personal protection equipment (PPE) of which 1.43 crore will be made by domestic manufacturers, news agency PTI reported.
- Worldwide, over 34, lakh have contracted coronavirus so far; more than 2,4 lakh have died. Coronavirus deaths in the United States - the worst hit country - climbed by 1,435 in the past 24 hours.
