Coronavirus India Updates: Largest One-Day Spike As Total Covid-19 Cases Rise To 1,251, Death Toll Rises To 32

India reported its largest one-day spike in Covid-19 infections taking the total tally in the country to 1,251, as authorities ramp up testing capabilities. This includes 102 cured or discharged and 32 who succumbed to the respiratory illness.

The country added 227 cases on Monday—the biggest single-day rise, even higher than Saturday’s addition of 194 cases.

The Indian Council of Medical Research said that testing has been stepped up with the help of private labs. India has done over 38,000 tests so far with over 3,500 tests conducted just on Sunday, ICMR said.

This marks the sixth day of the lockdown. Addressing rumours and concerns that the lockdown will be extended beyond the 21-day period, the government today said that it has no such plans.

Globally, cases of coronavirus infection have crossed 722,000, leaving 33,900 dead. Over 151,000 had recovered from the illness according to the latest available data.

Track latest updates on how the coronavirus situation is evolving in India here:

India saw an addition of 227 cases in just one day on Monday as the total Covid-19 cases in the country rose to 1,251.

• Active cases: 1,117
• Cured/discharged/migrated: 102
• Deaths: 32

The Karnataka government has directed those under home quarantine in the state to post selfies on a government-run app every hour.

“Failing to do so, teams will reach such defaulters and they will be liable to be shifted to quarantine centres made by the government,” Karnataka Minister Dr. K Sudhakar said.

Source: ANI

Railway board has asked zonal authorities to be prepared to convert 20,000 train coaches into isolation wards in view of the coronavirus outbreak, PTI reported.

Sixteen new coronavirus positive cases were reported in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, taking the total tally in the state to 88, officials said.

Of the 88 Covid-19 patients, 14 have fully recovered and discharged. Gautam Buddh Nagar district alone has reported 36 cases, they said.

Source: PTI

Forty seven new cases were reported today in Mumbai and adjoining areas, according to the BMC’s daily press update.

• Total number of positive cases in the city is at 170.
• 157 international travellers are in quarantine facilities.
• Covid-19 related death toll in Mumbai stands at 8.

Meanwhile, the BMC has activated a helpline (1800221292) to address issues of food and shelter for stranded migrant labourers in the city and suburbs. The helpline will be available daily from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm.

India’s health ministry has issued a detailed guideline on how to sanitise the areas where confirmed Covid-19 cases have been reported.

Ten empowered groups of senior officials have been made to focus on hospital logistics, case management, community mobilisation and medical emergency management to tackle Covid-19 effectively, joint health secretary Lav Agarwal said in the daily press briefing.

Agarwal emphasised that early identification is crucial in tackling the disease. He urged people who suspect that they have symptoms to not hide it and report it so that timely action can be taken. "If a case is detected late, it gets critical."

The health ministry also continued to be confident that there have been no cases of community transmission in India so far. Agarwal said that recovered cases are also being monitored for 14 days.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research said that it has conducted over 38,000 tests in the country so far. Just yesterday, the apex health research body conducted 3,500 tests, chief epidemiologist RR Gangakhedkar said.

Forty seven private labs are functional as of Monday, and 1,334 tests have been done in the last three days by private labs.

A 28-year old man was arrested in Byculla in Mumbai for allegedly circulating a message on WhatsApp that the military had been deployed in some parts of the locality to enforce the lockdown.

Sohail Salim Punjabi's message read "Mumbai's Null Bazar, Bhendi Bazar, Dongri, Madanpura, Kala Pani, Sat Rasta area is uncontrollable by Police, Hence Military has been called. They will use force, lathi charge as well as firing to control Mob".

"We arrested Punjabi from Bhendi Bazar area under section 188 of the IPC as well as provisions of the Disaster Management Act. He was later released on bail," said Senior Inspector Sanjeev Bhole of JJ Marg police station.

Source: PTI

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah to check alleged incidents of attack and racial discrimination against people from the Northeast on being mistaken for Chinese after the coronavirus outbreak.

He attached a video with his tweet showing some Naga students being prevented from entering a grocery store in Mysuru.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Sangma said he had spoken to Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, who informed him that an FIR has been lodged and two people arrested in connection with the incident, according to PTI

The Maharashtra government has set up 262 relief camps for migrant labourers where they will be provided food and shelter, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Monday.

Thackeray earlier appealed to migrant labourers not to leave the state and assured all assistance to them. In a tweet on Monday, the Chief Minister said "Maharashtra government has set up 262 relief camps across the state which is presently providing shelter to 70,399 migrant labourers or the homeless people to ensure that they have food, and a roof in this crisis." he tweeted.

Source: PTI

Over 500 Nepalese labourers returning home from different parts of India are stranded in Dharchula in Uttarakhand with the Nepal government shutting its doors on them in an effort to combat coronavirus.

The stranded Nepalese workers have been kept temporarily in the shed of a cremation ground in Dharchula with the district administration providing for food, Sub-divisional Magistrate SK Shukla said, adding that if they continue to gather like this, the situation may become difficult.

"They want to cross over to their country through a bridge on the river Kali in Dharchula, which has been closed from the Nepal side," the SDM said. "We are ready to open the bridge but the Nepalese authorities are against it."

"We are feeding and taking care of them. Our officials, doctors and local NGOs are involved in the exercise," he said, adding that all of them have been screened and have no symptoms of coronavirus so far.

The Maharashtra government released 601 inmates from 37 prisons in the last three days to reduce crowding at the time of the coronavirus outbreak, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Sunil Ramanand said.

"A total of 104 prisoners were released in the western region, 113 in central, 145 in south and 239 in east. These are from Central as well as district prisons," another official said.

Source: PTI

A 52-year old Covid-19 patient died in Pune on Monday, taking the toll in Maharashtra to nine, according to an official.

"His samples turned out positive for coronavirus on March 22. He died on Monday at a hospital in Pune," the official said. The man was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, he added.

The Covid-19 patient was on ventilator support at the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. He died of multiple organ failure on Monday, Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol said.

Source: PTI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to Twitter to assure the public that bank branches and ATMs will remain open and functional during the 21-day lockdown.

Marico and ATE Chandra Foundation have launched a nationwide hunt for innovative solutions to healthcare challenges during the coronavirus crisis for a prize money of Rs 2.5 crore.

"Marico Innovation Foundation is inviting med-tech entrepreneurs, corporates and innovators, in fact, any person who can who can provide innovative solutions for two of the direst needs today in the country, namely low-cost ventilators/respiratory solutions and Personal Protective Equipment," the company said a statement.

"I too, am making a pledge in my personal capacity, making the total grant value to Rs 2.5 crore," Chairman Harsh Mariwala said. "As the pandemic progresses, the grand challenge may expand to other items of critical need in consultation with medical experts."

The Goa government on Monday commissioned a virology lab at a state-run facility to test samples for coronavirus infection.

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said they received a certification from the Indian Council of Medical Research to start the virology laboratory at the Goa Medical College and Hospital.

"Medical professionals from GMCH underwent training at the National Institute of Virology in Pune," Rane told PTI, adding that Goa has enough stock of reagent kits and rapid testing kits which are required for the virus testing.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. has extended warranty and service timelines of customer vehicles in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

Customers whose free service, warranty and extended warranty are scheduled to end between March 15 and April 30 can now avail of the same till June 30, the carmaker said in a statement today.

Automakers are bearing the brunt of the India lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as sales and services of vehicles fall under the non-essential category of services. Carmakers, however, are doing their bit for mitigating stress that has emanated due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Source: PTI

Tamil Nadu has 67 coronavirus positive cases as of today, up from 50 reported earlier, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said. The fresh cases include 10 from Erode.

Palaniswami told reporters at the Secretariat that additional personal protective equipment like N-95 masks for the health personnel have been ordered. “Migrant workers stranded in Tamil Nadu have already been provided food and shelter, apart from medical help,” he said.

Source: PTI

A man in his late 20s tested positive for Covid-19 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, taking the number of cases in the Union Territory to 10, officials said.

He was part of a group of people that had gone to Delhi to attend a religious programme and returned to Port Blair via Kolkata on March 24, they said. The man has been admitted to the GB Pant Hospital, where a 48-bed isolation ward was set up to attend to coronavirus patients.

The islands, home to several vulnerable tribes, have been put on alert following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Source: PTI

With two more people testing positive for the coronavirus since last night, the total number of cases in Andhra Pradesh rose to 23.

A 72-year old man in Rajamahendravaram and a 49-year old from Kakinada tested positive for Covid-19, the Medical and Health Department said in its latest bulletin. Their travel details were being traced, it said.

With the two, the number of coronavirus positive cases in East Godavari district touched three. In all, 33 samples were tested since Sunday night of which 31 turned negative, the bulletin said.

Source: PTI

The coronavirus death toll rose to six in Gujarat as one more patient succumbed to the illness, a health official said on Monday.

A 45-year old woman, who earlier tested positive for coronavirus, died at a hospital in Bhavnagar late Sunday night, Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi said. The woman had also suffered a stroke about two weeks back, she added.

Besides, the number Covid-19 cases in the state went up to 69 as six more people tested positive for the deadly virus on Monday, according to Ravi.

Source: PTI

Stating that the course of Covid-19 tends to be more severe in the case of the elderly population, resulting in higher mortality, the Union Health Ministry has issued a health advisory, listing some "dos" and "don'ts" for reducing the transmission of the virus among the aged section.

The advisory said globally, Covid-19 has impacted several lives and is steadily increasing its reach.

While the Indian government has taken stringent actions to contain the spread of Covid-19, including a nationwide lockdown, it is also critical for each one of us to follow the protocols and take necessary measures and precautions to break the chain of transmission of the disease, it added.

"Elderly people are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection due to their decreased immunity and body reserves, as well as multiple associated comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

"Also, course of disease tends to be more severe in case of elderlies, resulting in higher mortality," the advisory stated.

The ministry advised the elderly people to wash their hands and face at regular intervals with soap, stay at home, avoid meeting visitors at home and if such a meeting is essential, maintain a distance of at least one metre. It asked them to ensure proper nutrition through home-cooked, fresh, hot meals, hydrate frequently and take fresh juices to boost immunity.

The "dos" also include exercising, taking the daily prescribed medicines regularly, postponing elective surgeries (if any) like cataract surgery or total knee replacement and cleaning frequently-touched surfaces with a disinfectant. "If you develop fever, cough and/or breathing difficulty, immediately contact nearest healthcare facility and follow the medical advice rendered," the advisory said.

It also listed some "don'ts", including not coughing or sneezing into bare hands or without covering the face and not going near people suffering from fever and cough. It advised them against self-medicating and going to hospital for routine checkups or follow-ups.

"As far as possible, make tele-consultation with your healthcare provider. Don't go to crowded places like parks, markets and religious places and don't go out unless it is absolutely essential," it said.

Source: PTI

Total confrmed cases of coronavirus in India stands at 1,071, as of 10:15 a.m., according to the health Ministry’s website. This includes 29 dead, and 99 cured or discharged.

Today marks the sixth day of the three-week lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shared 3D animated videos of him performing yoga on Twitter to show how he remains fit.

"During yesterday's #MannKiBaat, someone asked me about my fitness routine during this time. Hence, thought of sharing these Yoga videos," he tweeted.

"I hope you also begin practising Yoga regularly," he wrote.

Responding to a question in his monthly radio address "Mann ki Baat" on Sunday on how he is keeping fit during the lockdown, the prime minister had said he would post the "Yoga with Modi" videos.

"But do remember, that I am not a fitness expert, I am also not a yoga teacher. I am merely a practitioner," he had said.

"... some yoga asanaas have greatly benefitted me. It is possible that some of these tips might help you too during the lockdown," Modi said on Sunday.

In the run-up to International Yoga Day in June last year, the prime minister had shared similar videos to encourage people to practise yoga.

Source: PTI

A woman infected with the coronavirus died at a state-run hospital in north Bengal on Monday, taking the total number of Covid-19 deaths in West Bengal to two, hospital sources said.

The 44-year-old woman from Kalimpong in Darjeeling district breathed her last around 2 a.m .at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, where she was admitted.

She had recently returned from Chennai, where she had gone for the treatment of her daughter.

Her daughter and the doctor, who was treating the woman, have been quarantined at a centre, a health department official said.

Earlier, an elderly man from Kolkata had died from Covid-19 last week.

The total number of Covid-19 cases has risen to 21 in West Bengal, including the two deaths.

Source: PTI

There is no plan in the works to extend the lockdown in India beyond 21 days, said Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba.

India is on day 6 of the nation-wide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus. Responding to rumours and media reports, claiming that the Government will extend the lockdown when it expires, Cabinet Secretary stated that they are baseless.