Coronavirus latest update: Over 2,500 positive cases in India; 62 deaths

NEW DELHI: The number of confirmed cases around the world crossed a million mark on Thursday. In India, more than 2,000 people were infected from the virus which claimed over 60 lives till Thursday evening. According to the latest update by the ministry of health and family welfare, the total number of coronavirus positive cases in India rose to 2,547 with 2322 active cases, 162 cured/discharged and 62 deaths.
Here is a look at all the latest updates on the outbreak of coronavirus in India and around the world —
Delhi reports 91 new COVID-19 positive cases in last 24 hours
In the last 24 hours, 91 new cases were reported in the national capital and one more person evacuated from the Markaz died due to coronavirus, taking the total number of deaths in the city to five. The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi has risen to 384, including 259 who were evacuated from Nizamuddin Markaz. Of the 384 cases, 58 had recent foreign travel history and 38 contracted the virus after coming in contact with them, said Delhi CM Kejriwal.
NSA to be slapped against persons who attack policemen enforcing lockdown in UP
The stringent National Security Act (NSA) will be slapped on people who attack policeman enforcing the lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Uttar Pradesh government said on Friday. The state government's move to invoke the NSA comes in view of reports of several incidents of attack on policemen enforcing the lockdown.
No risk of transmission during cremation of COVID-19 victims: WB health dept
The West Bengal health department issued an advisory saying that no risk is involved in the process of cremating or burying the body of COVID-19 victims as officials were taking necessary precautions. The advisory explained that the temperature generated during cremation is 800 to 1000 degrees Celsius, under which, the virus can no longer remain viable and that there isn't any evidence to prove that the smoke generated during cremation has caused COVID- 19.
World virus toll breaks 50,000
The number of confirmed coronavirus deaths accelerated past 50,000 on Friday as the United States, Spain and Britain grappled with their highest tolls yet and the world economy took a massive hit. The human scale of the pandemic has never been more stark -- experts warning that more than one million cases of COVID-19 disease confirmed globally is probably only a small proportion of total infections as testing is still not widely available. The United States accounts for around a quarter of confirmed cases but Europe is far from being out of danger -- Spain reported more than 900 deaths in 24 hours on Friday, for the second day running.
SC notice to govt over payment of wages to migrants
SC issues notice to the Centre on petition by rights activists Harsh Mander and Anjali Bharadwaj seeking immediate payment of basic minimum wages to migrant workers and self-employed poor affected by lockdown. SC seeks response by April 7. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta told a bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta that PIL ships opened by activists, sitting in comfort of their homes, must be shut. He said government is looking after the basic needs of workers.
Fresh cases of coronavirus in Rajasthan, curfew imposed in two areas
Over 20 people tested positive for coronavirus in Rajasthan on Friday including nine who had attended a congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin. Curfew was imposed in two areas of Bikaner after two persons who had attended the Nizamuddin congregation tested positive. The total number of cases in the state has now climbed to 154.
PM Modi asks citizens to light diyas, candles to fight the 'darkness of coronavirus'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in a video message urged the people of the country to stand united in the fight against coronavirus epidemic. The Prime Minister called upon the people of the country to light candles, diyas, torchlights from the balconies and doorways of their houses on April 5 for nine minutes as a symbolic gesture to fight against the darkness spread by coronavirus. The Prime Minister also instructed the people to remain inside and not venture out on the streets during the task.
Disappointed as no financial package announced: Chidambaram on PM's address
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video message broadcast this morning, saying "symbolism" is important but serious thought to ideas and measures is equally important.
World Bank approves $1 billion emergency funds for India to tackle coronavirus outbreak
The World Bank's first set of aid projects, amounting to $1.9 billion, will assist 25 countries, and new operations are moving forward in over 40 nations using the fast-track process, the bank said. The largest chunk of the emergency financial assistance has gone to India - $1 billion.
Nearly 65% of 544 new all-India cases linked to Tablighi Jamaat’s event in city
The explosion of Covid-19 cases caused by the Tablighi Jamaat event continued to unfold for the third consecutive day, when at least 295 delegates from across the country who had attended the religious congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin last month tested positive for the virus, accounting for more than 60% of the 485 confirmed cases across India till around 11.45 pm on Thursday.
Common, staggered lockdown exit plan needed, says PM Modi
Indicating that there is need for a coordinated approach to the lifting of restrictions after the national lockdown ends on April 14 to ensure that the gains of social distancing and isolation in the fight against Covid-19 are not lost, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked chief ministers to consider a common exit strategy once the lockdown ends.
Post lockdown, international passenger flights to India to be okayed on country-by-country basis
Resumption of schedule passengers flights after April 14-15 midnight, unless the lockdown is extended to contain the spread of coronavirus, will be a gradual affair. Allowing passengers — mostly Indians stranded abroad — to fly to India will be decided on a country to country (from where they have to return) basis depending on the call taken by the heath and home ministries.
MHA asks states to make people aware of penal provisions
The home secretary on Thursday requested states to widely circulate information on penal provisions in the Disaster Management Act as well as the Indian Penal Code for violation of lockdown guidelines and asked law enforcement agencies to take suitable action under these provisions. The latest communication came a day after states/UTs were asked to implement the lockdown measures issued by the MHA in the exercise of powers under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, “in letter and spirit, without allowing any exception”.
China to observe April 4 as mourning day for coronavirus victims
China will observe a national day of mourning on Saturday for martyrs, including the "whistleblower" doctor Li Wenliang, who sacrificed their lives in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak and the over 3,300 people who died of the COVID-19 in the country. During the commemoration, national flags will fly at half-mast across the country and in all Chinese embassies and consulates abroad, and public recreational activities will be suspended across the country, official media reported on Friday.
US toll crosses 1000-a-day for first time
More than 1000 Americans died of coronavirus infection and related issues in the past 24 hours – the first time the toll has crossed the four-figure mark on a single day – as the US death count from the pandemic crossed the 5000 mark on Thursday. The day also brought the grim news that nearly 10 million (one crore) Americans have filed unemployment claims in the past two weeks (6.6 million in the last week in addition to 3.3 million previous week), confirming that besides the death toll, the pandemic is killing the US economy.
Confirmed coronavirus cases top one million globally
Confirmed coronavirus cases topped one million around the world on Thursday as Europe reeled from the pandemic and the United States reported record numbers of people out of work. The virus has killed over 51,000 globally with the largest number of deaths in Italy, followed by Spain and the United States. The first 1,00,000 cases were reported in around 55 days and the first 5,00,000 in 76 days. Cases doubled to 1 million within the past eight days.