Coronavirus LIVE update: India's death toll hits 68; total cases rise to 3082

• India's Covid-19 count stands at over 2,000 and the deadly virus has claimed over 50 lives.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has confirmed that over 155 people have been cured and discharged from hospitals.
• The government has extended the ban on international flights till April 14. Domestic flights have been banned till March 31.
• According to the latest available data on the World Health Organisation (WHO) website, 9,36,505 people have been infected worldwide, while 47,253 have died from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Watch this space to track the latest updates by International Business Times, India on deadly coronavirus. The live blog will be updated at 9 am, 1 pm and 6 pm, daily. 

PM Modi tweeted: "Had an extensive telephone conversation with President Donald Trump. We had a good discussion and agreed to deploy the full strength of the India-US partnership to fight Covid-19."

Had an extensive telephone conversation with President @realDonaldTrump. We had a good discussion, and agreed to deploy the full strength of the India-US partnership to fight COVID-19.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 4, 2020

In the 'Advisory on the use of Homemade Protective Cover for Face and Mouth', the government said the use of such masks will help in protecting the community at large and that certain countries have claimed benefits of homemade face masks for the general public.

The New York State reported highest number of Covid-19 deaths in a single day, 562. Governor Andrew Cuomo has now permitted officials to redistribute ventilators and PPE to hospitals that need it more.

At least five Covid-19 patients admitted in the CD Hospital in Srinagar have tested negative.

The Odisha government vamped up its efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state by providing training to 500 MMBS students for treating coronavirus patients in the state. "As many as 500 MBBS students have been given COVID-19 online training as approved by Government of India," said Odisha government's coronavirus spokesperson Subroto Bagchi. 

After the coronavirus patient who tested positive in Mumbai's Dharavi slum was confirmed dead on Wednesday evening, another person aged 54-year-old sanitation worker has tested positive for the Covid-19 pandemic.

• 52-year-old COVID-19 patient dies in Vadodara, taking the total death toll in Gujarat to 7.
• Haryana recorded its first COVID-19-related death. A 67-year-old man from Ambala passed away at the PGIMER in Chandigarh soon after testing positive for coronavirus.
• Three more COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, state tally goes up to 338, health official confirmed.
• Nine fresh coronavirus cases reported in Rajasthan on Thursday, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 129.
• 12 more coronavirus cases in Indore, total cases rise to 98 in MP.

Health Ministry official confirmed that the death toll due to coronavirus related cases has reached touches 50, taking the total number of positive cases to 1,965 in India.

Naval Dockyard, Mumbai has designed & developed its own handheld infrared-based temperature sensor. The instrument has been manufactured under Rs. 1000, through in-house resources (which is a fraction of the cost of the temperature guns in the market)

 A 67-year-old man from Ambala, Haryana who had tested positive for Covid-19 has lost his life at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh, said Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Ambala Chief Medical Officer. 

On April 1, Praveen Sood, DG & IGP Karnataka, took to Twitter saying that this is not a April Fool's Day prank. "Two/ four-wheelers are banned from use till the 14th of April. We will SEIZE your vehicle if you CEASE to ignore this lockdown regulation, Sood Twitted.

Two COVID-19 patients passed away in West Bengal, taking the death toll in the state to six, health officials confirmed.

At least 300 people from Karnataka had attended the Nizamuddin Jamat event in the national capital. Out of this 300, 260 are untraceable as of now.

People queue outside a liquor shop in Karnataka's Gadag district over rumours that the shop would open for a few hours today amid coronavirus lockdown.

Around 43 new coronavirus cases have been reported in Andhra Pradesh, taking the total tally in the state to 87, government sources said.

Uttar Pradesh recorded its first death due to coronavirus after a 25-year-old man has succumbed to infection in the BRD Medical College and Hospital where he was undergoing treatment. Uttar Pradesh has reported 109 positive cases of coronavirus. 

Rajasthan becomes the first state in the country to do a screening of all 7.5 crore people in the state.

• 227 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the past 24 hours
• The Health Minister states that the spike in cases are due to violations
• In India, we have 1,237, active cases as of now
• Around 140 people have been recovered
• DRDO is manufacturing n95 masks
• Around 21,000 relief camps have been set up in India
• Govt is serving food to around 23 lakh people
• There are 123 testing labs in India for now

Special passes for tipplers will be issued by the Kerala government, for people who have withdrawal symptoms and doctor's prescription, to purchase liquor from the Excise department during the 21-day lockdown initiated to counter the spread of Covid-19. FULL REPORT HERE

As the government authorised private medical entities to test for Covid-19, Practo, a Bengaluru-based digital healthcare platform, has announced that people can now book a test for the fatal disease online. READ FULL REPORT HERE

At a quarantine facility run by the Army in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, at least nine people have tested positive for COVID-19.

Around 482 people, who were flown back to India from Iran, are at the quarantine facility in Jaisalmer.

People from the Markaz building near Nizamuddin in New Delhi continue to be shifted to hospitals and quarantine centres. At least 1,034 people have been shifted till now to 334 hospitals and 700 to quarantine centres, in at least 34 trips made by buses. Around 24 people who gathered here have tested positive for Covid-19 so far.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal are holding a meeting via video conferencing over the Nizamuddin Markaz issue. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyender Jain, and other officials are also participating in the meeting.

At least 17 new coronavirus positive cases have been detected since 9 pm last night, taking the total confirmed cases in the state to 40. Most of these people are those who had attended the religious meeting in the national capital or are the contacts of those who attended, Director, Health and Family Welfare, Andhra Pradesh stated.

Of the 17 people who tested positive, two people are from Anantapur district, eight are from Prakasam district, five are from Guntur district, one from Krishna district and 1 from East Godavari district.

In the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma donates Rs 45 lakh to PM Cares Funds, Rs 25 lakh to CM Relief Fund Maharashtra, Rs 5 lakh to Feeding India and Rs 5 lakh to the Welfare Of Stray Dogs.

"We need our country back on feet and the onus is on us," tweeted Rohit Sharma.

The Maharashtra Health Department has stated that four new coronavirus positive cases have been confirmed in Mumbai and one in Pune. The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 230. 

People in Mangaluru buy essential commodities as lockdown has been relaxed till 3 pm today.

Seven people, who were evacuated from Iran, have tested positive for Covid-19. The total number of positive cases in the state has now risen to 83. 

At least 32 new coronavirus cases have been reported in Kerala. Out of this, 17 have foreign travel history. With this, the total confirmed cases rise to 213 in the state, says Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

At least five more cases of coronavirus have been reported in Karnataka, taking the toll of positive cases in the state to 88. Of the 5, one is a close contact of an earlier confirmed patient and four others are workers of a pharmaceutical company in Mysuru, from where a person had tested positive, confirmed the Karnataka Health Department.

At least 17 new cases have been reported in Tamil Nadu bringing the total number of cases in the state to 67, Tamil Nadu Health Department confirms.

Two domestic manufacturers are producing around 50,000 N95 masks each day, which is expected to go up to 1 lakh per day within next week. Indian hospitals have 11.95 lakh N95 masks in stock. Additional 5 lakhs were distributed during the last 2 days and 1.40 lakhs being distributed today, says the Health Ministry.

Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka C N Ashwath Narayan took to Twitter stating that ride-hailing app Ola has agreed to give 500 cabs for coronavirus-related activities in the state. "These vehicles will be used by the government for commute by doctors and Covid 19 related activities," Narayan tweeted.

Vegetable wholesale market in Ludhiana witnesses heavy crowd, amid the coronavirus lockdown to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. The total number of positive cases in Punjab stands at 38.

Andhra Pradesh has now detected two more cases of coronavirus and the total number of confirmed cases has now gone up to 23.

Modi government was looking at extending the lockdown imposed to control the spread of coronavirus, a clarification has been made by the authorities.

In a tweet, Prasar Bharati said they spoke with Cabinet Secretary who clarified that there is no plan of extending the lockdown.

The total number of coronavirus positive cases rise to 1024 in India (including 901 active cases, 96 cured/discharged/migrated people and 27 deaths): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

As many as 52 prisoners were released yesterday and 38 prisoners have been released today on parole for eight weeks as a preventive measure against the spread of coronavirus. A total of 600 inmates will be released from Lucknow Jail. They are being screened before release: PN Pandey, Lucknow Jail Superintendent.

Seven new Covid-19 cases reported in Karnataka. The total number of cases surged to 83.

Mann ki Baat radio programme is aired on the last Sunday of every month and Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks on the latest issues.

Tune in tomorrow at 11.

Tomorrow's episode will be focused on the situation prevailing due to COVID-19. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/wWybvdLW8k

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 28, 2020

Taking to Twitter, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said, "I request all MPs to take a united stand against coronavirus and donate at least one month's salary to the PM Cares Fund."

The IAS association has decided to contribute Rs 21 lakhs to the PM-CARES Fund as its initial contribution to combat Covid-19. "All members to contribute at least a day's salary also. We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that we win this fight against #COVID19. WE SHALL OVERCOME," read the IAS Association's tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to fellow Indians to contribute to the PM-CARES Fund. "This Fund will also cater to similar distressing situations, if they occur in the times ahead. This link has all important details about the fund," tweets PM Modi.

In a series of tweet, PM Modi said: "The PM-CARES Fund accepts micro-donations too. It will strengthen disaster management capacities and encourage research on protecting citizens.

Let us leave no stone unturned to make India healthier and more prosperous for our future generations."

Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons said that the need of the hour is greater than any other time. "The COVID 19 crisis is one of the toughest challenges we will face as a race. The Tata Trusts and the Tata group companies have in the past risen to the needs of the nation," read Ratan Tata's tweet.

A 74-year-old man who had travelled to the national capital tested positive for the coronavirus pandemic after he passed away at a private hospital in Hyderabad today.

A 69-year-old man died due to the novel coronavirus outbreak at Kochi Medical College today, Ernakulam District Medical Officer Dr NK Kuttappan confirmed.

This is the first death in Kerala due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Railways has prepared isolation coaches to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

In wake of the coronavirus pandemic, residents of some villages in Sagara Taluk in Shivamogga have put logs of wood to block roads leading to the villages to restrict the entry of any outsiders .

In the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, the United States (US) on March 27 announced $174 million financial assistance to around 64 nations including $2.9 million to India. READ FULL REPORT HERE

In the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Delhi Police has issued an advisory regarding cyber-crimes, warning people against fraud and scam schemes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twiter stating that the Reserve Bank of India has taken giant steps to safeguard India's economy from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Today @RBI has taken giant steps to safeguard our economy from the impact of the Coronavirus. The announcements will improve liquidity, reduce cost of funds, help middle class and businesses," read PM Modi's tweet.

Jayanti Ravi, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, has stated that in the last 12 hours no coronavirus positive case has been reported in Gujarat.

In the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the Indian Army has established helpline numbers for its personnel, Veer Naris, and ex-servicemen in case they need any help.

The Indian Army has code-named its anti-Covid-19 operations as Operation Namaste. The Army has, so far, established eight quarantine facilities across the country.

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi appeals to people not to crowd mosques for namaaz. Do Friday prayers from home.

Israel's Ambassador in Delhi, Ron Malka took to Twitter to thank Air India staff for operating a special flight, which carried around 314 Israelites back to their country.

The Air India aircraft was operated after a request in this regard was made by the Israeli embassy to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The total number of cases positive Covid-19 has reached 587 in India, which includes 46 cured and 11 deaths

Taking to Twitter, Sitharaman said, "Even as we are readying an economic package to help us through the Corona lockdown (on priority, to be announced soon) I will address the media at 2 pm today, specifically on statutory and regulatory compliance matters. Via video conference."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the nation at 8 pm today. This will be his second address to the nation on coronavirus.

Amid coronavirus threat in India, all private offices will remain closed but the employees - both permanent and contractual - will be considered to be on-duty. The companies will have to provide them the salary for this duration, announces Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

The national capital has been put under a complete lockdown from 6 am on Monday, March 23. All shops, construction activities, transport services have been ordered closed.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered complete lockdown in the state in the wake of the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

A 63-year-old man infected with coronavirus succumbed to illness on Saturday night. The patient who tested positive for Covid-19 had a chronic history of diabetes, high blood pressure and ischemic heart disease, confirmed Maharashtra's Public Health Department.

Everything will be closed in four cities of Maharashtra, including Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Mumbai, and Nagpur till March 31 barring essential commodities and services, the Maharashtra government announced today.

With two more people testing positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, India's total confirmed cases stands at 184 now. A 22-year-old woman from Mulund who returned from London tested positive for Covid-19 in Maharashtra. The other patient, a 47-year-old is from Ulhasnagar, returned from Dubai and was admitted to a hospital on Tuesday.

No international flights from any foreign land will be allowed to land in India from March 22. These instructions shall remain in force till 0001 hrs GMT of March 29.

Addressing a press meet, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that 20 or more people will not be allowed to gather at any place for social, cultural, religious, academics, seminars, conference purposes in the state. Earlier, 50 or more people were not allowed to gather, Kejriwal stated.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday has confirmed that an Indian national has passed away in Iran due to Covid-19. With this, India reports the first case of an Indian dying in a foreign land.

A 72-year-old man died in Punjab from coronavirus. India's death toll has now reached four after the man, who had returned from Germany via Italy, passed away at a hospital in Punjab's Nawanshahr district.

Indian Railways has cancelled 168 trains due to low occupancy in view of the coronavirus outbreak from March 20 to 31.

In the wake of coronavirus cases reported from Gautam Buddha Nagar, two new isolation wards will be set up at the Asian Institute of Medical Science in Sector 40 and Mitra Hospital in Sector 35 in Noida.

Two cases of Covid-19 have been reported in India, according to news agency PTI. One case each has been reported from the state of Karnataka and Chhattisgarh. The new Karnataka case has taken the state's toll to around 15. The Chhattisgarh case is the state's first with a 24-year-old woman who returned to Raipur from London last week testing positive for coronavirus.

• ISC and ICSE examinations scheduled between March 19 and 31 March postponed.
• Karnataka adds one more positive case, reaches a sum of 15 COVID-19 cases
• The second positive case in Andhra Pradesh reported too
• Chandigarh reports first confirmed case
• Railways cancel 84 more trains; 155 trains canceled till March 31
• With a sum of 14 cured cases, India looks forward to curbing the pandemic in no time.

#COVID-19
# Jammu & Kashmir
First positive case in Kashmir- Khanyar, Srinagar. History of foreign travel. Arrived on 16/3/2020. Put in Isolation. Surveillance started in 300m area. Request all to cooperate. Also Immediately self report any symptoms@diprjk@HealthMedicalE1

— Rohit Kansal (@kansalrohit69) March 18, 2020

Air Vistara has temporarily suspended its international operations from March 20 to March 31. "We have also temporarily adjusted domestic capacity for March and April in view of reduced demand. Customers booked on the affected flights will be fully refunded," read the airline's statement.

As the coronavirus cases in Karnataka surges past 10, the Bengaluru City Police took to Twitter saying, "Dear Citizens, Please visit the link below for details on all the first-responder hospitals for coronavirus in Karnataka."

The city police also asked people to dial 104 (Arogyavani Health Helpline) for immediate assistance and information.

"Stay calm. Stay safe," read the city police's tweet.

In view of the coronavirus outbreak, Section 144 ( has been imposed in Anantnag district, to avoid gathering of people,  prohibiting assembly of more than four people in an area.

B Sriramulu, Karnataka Health Minister: 2 more #COVID19 cases have been registered in Bengaluru today, taking the total infected cases to 13. 56 year old male, resident of Bengaluru returned from USA on 6th March. Another, 25 yr old female, who has returned from Spain. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/YcrWVHAT2a

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020

Two more positive cases have been reported in Bengaluru, which has taken the total number of cases in Karnataka to 13. 

B Sriramulu, Karnataka Health Minister: 2 more #COVID19 cases have been registered in Bengaluru today, taking the total infected cases to 13. 56 year old male, resident of Bengaluru returned from USA on 6th March. Another, 25 yr old female, who has returned from Spain. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/YcrWVHAT2a

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020

#WATCH Kerala Police releases an awareness video promoting the washing of hands. #Coronavirus. (Video Source: Kerala Police) pic.twitter.com/e1hjk6noyK

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020

In an initiative to contain coronavirus, 1000 prisoners across nine prisons are making 1 lakh masks in Maharashtra. 

देशभरात #COVID19 विरुद्ध विविध उपाययोजना केल्या जात असताना, महाराष्ट्र पोलिसद्वारा एक अनोखा उपक्रम राबवला जात आहे. राज्यातील ९ तुरुंगात १००० कैदी सुमारे १ लाख मास्क तयार करण्याच्या प्रक्रियेत सहभागी झाले आहेत. हे मास्क पोलीस, कैदी व राज्य सरकारच्या अनेक विभागातील कर्मचारी वापरतील pic.twitter.com/7WlTT8kVqi

— Maharashtra Police (@DGPMaharashtra) March 18, 2020

More than 1,98,300 people have been infected by the coronavirus across the world and 8,419 have died, with cases and deaths outside 

Karnataka: Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru being sanitised with the spraying of disinfectants, as a precautionary measure against #Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/QuPDPYN51y

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020

A man, who travelled from London, tested positive for novel coronavirus. His parents and driver have also been kept in isolation.

"We already know that we are in stage 2. We are in not in stage 3, clearly," says Dr Balram Bhargava, director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research." 

#WATCH live via ANI FB: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) briefs the media in Delhi. #Coronavirus https://t.co/3mo97GEPcV pic.twitter.com/cYYVVxUXNs

— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2020

Malaysia reported its first coronavirus death on Tuesday, a 60-year-old pastor. The state of Sarawak said 193 close contacts of the victim were undergoing home quarantine. The country has reported 553 coronavirus cases, the highest in Southeast Asia.

Malaysia has recorded its first death from #COVID19.

The victim, a 60 years old Pastor from Emmanuel Baptist Church Kuching passed away at 11.00 am at Sarawak General Hospital. pic.twitter.com/aBy2TljoHD

— MohdFaizalHassan (@f4izalhassan) March 17, 2020

Ten Indonesians who were on a visit to Karimnagar district of Telangana were shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad for screening them for COVID-19. The group was brought to a government-run Gandhi Hospital after one of them showed suspected symptoms of coronavirus.

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has extended the closure of all educational institutions and school till April 2 in view of the COVID-19 scare. Earlier the schools had been closed till March 22.

Pakistan has recorded its first death. The patient had returned from Iran and was kept in quarantine for 14 days at the Iran Taftan border.

A 64-year-old coronavirus patient on Tuesday, March 17 died in a hospital in Mumbai, recording the third fatality in the country. 

The first patient in the United States has received the trial vaccine for the novel coronavirus. Supported by a global coalition founded by India and Norway, the US has begun the phase one clinical trial of an investigational vaccine designed to protect against the coronavirus disease.

The trial began at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) in Seattle as the first participant received the investigational vaccine.

Government of India prohibits the travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia to India till 31st March

WATCH: Health Ministry briefs media in Delhi oan #coronavirus situation https://t.co/3dAEDq7GYB

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2020

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is going to stop temporarily issuing of blankets and bedspreads in premium buses from March 18. 

All local bodies in Delhi initiated actions invoking provisions of Delhi Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulations 2020.