This post is closed for now and will be updated to reflect major developments only.

April 30, 2020

• MoHFW reports 23,651 cases; 1,074 deaths; 8,324 recoveries
• Migrants allowed to go home; Centre looking at relaxing lockdown in a phased manner
• Punjab extends lockdown until May 17
• U.S. GDP drops 4.8%, sharpest spike since the Great Recession

April 29, 2020

• MoHFW reports 22,629 cases; 1,007 deaths; 7,965 recoveries
• India reports highest single-day jump in deaths
• ICMR says there is no evidence plasma therapy is effective
• U.S. cases surpass 1 million; global cases top 3 million

April 28, 2020

• MoHFW reports 21,632 cases; 934 deaths; 6,868 recoveries
• PM hints at lockdown extension in hotspots beyond May 3
• 33 staffers, including 2 doctors, at Delhi’s Max Hospital test positive
• Global cases top 3 million
• U.K. records lowest daily death toll in a month

April 27, 2020

• MoHFW reports 20,835 cases; 872 deaths; 6,184 recoveries
• PM to review nationwide lockdown status with CMs today
• Odisha, Maharashtra governments discuss plans to send migrants home
• Italy to ease its two-month-old controls from May 4
• Japan reports 200 new cases in a day

April 26, 2020

• MoHFW reports 19,868 cases; 824 deaths; 5,803 recoveries
• Over half of Covid19 deaths in Mumbai reported from slums, chawls
• Various states including Delhi, Maharashtra contemplate on extending lockdown
• Global death toll surpasses 200,000
• U.K. PM Boris Johnson will resume office on Monday after Covid19 recovery

April 25, 2020

• MoHFW reports 18,668 cases; 775 deaths; 5,062 recoveries
• India reports highest single-day death toll
• Government allows local shops to reopen from today with conditions; malls excluded
• U.S. death toll surpasses 50,000
• Spain records lowest number of daily deaths in a month

April 24, 2020

• Maharashtra sees highest single-day jump in cases
• Convalescent plasma therapy begins at various centers: AIIMS director
• 26.5 million Americans lost jobs in the past 5 weeks: U.S. Department of Labor
• Spain’s death toll tops 22,000

April 23, 2020

• MoHFW reports 16,454 cases; 681 deaths; 4,257 recoveries
• Physical attacks, harassment of healthcare workers now a non-bailable offense
• Gujarat second worst-hit state after Maharashtra
• Cabinet approves Rs 15,000 crore Covid19 package
• South Korea records biggest GDP fall since 2008

April 22, 2020

• MoHFW reports 15,474 cases; 640 deaths; 3,869 recoveries
• 69% of patients have been asymptomatic: ICMR
• ICMR tells states to pause rapid antibody tests for 2 days over inaccurate results
• Maharashtra government revokes lockdown exemptions in Mumbai, Pune
• Global cases top 2.5 million
• Pakistan records highest single day jump in deaths

April 21, 2020

• MoHFW reports 14,759 cases; 590 deaths; 3,251 recoveries
• Centre warns states against diluting national lockdown rules
• 53 Mumbai-based journalists test positive
• India to acquire 500,000 test kits from South Korea
• Turkey surpasses China in the number of cases

April 20, 2020

• MoHFW reports 14,175 cases; 543 deaths; 2,546 recoveries
• Migrant workers allowed to work in states they’re currently in: Centre
• E-commerce firms can’t deliver non-essential items until lockdown ends: Ministry of Home Affairs
• Europe death toll surpasses 1,00,000
• U.S. death toll tops 40,000

April 19,2020

• MoHFW reports 12,289 cases; 488 deaths; 2,014 recoveries
• 75% of those dead above 60: Health Ministry
• Gujarat reports highest single-day jump among all states
• Spain extends lockdown by two weeks until May 9
• New York reports lowest daily death toll in two weeks

April 18, 2020

• MoHFW reports 11,906 cases; 480 deaths; 1,991 recoveries
• 20 Indian Navy personnel test positive
• Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi, reports 100+cases; 15 deaths
• China’s economy shrinks by 6.8%, a historic low since 1992

April 17, 2020

• MoHFW reports 11,201 cases; 437 deaths; 1,748 recoveries
• India begins controlled trials of plasma therapy
• 37% of India’s population lives in red zones or hotspots
• India to supply hydroxychloroquine to 55 countries
• UK to extend lockdown by 3 weeks; New York until May 15
• Singapore reports a sharp increase in cases

April 16, 2020

• MoHFW reports 10,477 cases; 414 deaths; 1,488 recoveries
• Health Ministry declares 170 districts in India as Covid19 hotspots
• Delhi patient shows significant improvement after plasma therapy, say doctors
• India to receive 6,50,000 Rapid Antibody and RNA Extraction kits from China today
• Global cases surpass 2 million

April 15, 2020

• MoHFW reports 9,756 cases; 377 deaths; 1,305 recoveries
• Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Indore account for 60% of deaths
• All trains, international and domestic flights to remain suspended until May 3
• Russia reports highest daily jump in cases; total tally now 20,000
• France surpasses 15,000 death toll; Sweden records more than 1,000 deaths

April 14, 2020

• MoHFW reports 8,988 cases; 339 deaths; 1,035 recoveries
• PM announces nationwide lockdown to be extended until May 3
• Singapore, Russia report highest daily jump in cases
• New York death toll surpasses 10,000

April 13, 2020

• MoHFW reports 7,987 cases; 308 deaths; 856 recoveries
• Mumbai records highest daily jump in deaths
• Positive cases top 1.8 million globally
• France sees a decline in deaths in 24 hours, Spain reports an increase from a three-day low

April 12, 2020

• MoHFW reports 7,367 cases; 273 deaths
• Now 6 states, including Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka and Telangana have extended lockdown until April 30
• 22,000 healthcare workers globally have tested positive: WHO
• U.S. death toll overtakes Italy’s
• Mainland China records 99 new cases, highest daily jump in recent weeks

April 11, 2020

• MoHFW reports 6,565 cases; 239 deaths
• 9 Mumbai private hospitals partially or completely shut after staffers test positive
• Global death toll hits 100,000
• Italy reports highest number of deaths, U.S., highest number of cases so far

April 10, 2020

• MoHFW reports 5,709 cases; 199 deaths
• India, Maharashtra report highest daily jump in cases
• More than 100 doctors in Italy have died due to Covid19
• UK PM Boris Johnson out of ICU, but remains hospitalized

April 9, 2020

• MoHFW reports 5,095 cases; 166 deaths
• Mumbai, Delhi make wearing face masks mandatory in public
• Cases top 1.5 million globally
• France to extend lockdown for the second time, to run beyond April 15

April 8, 2020

• GoI reports 4,312 cases; 124 deaths
• Mortality rate in Maharashtra double the national rate
• Wuhan, China’s Covid19 epicentre, reopens after 76-day lockdown
• France death toll tops 10,000
• New York reports highest overnight jump in deaths

April 7, 2020

• GoI reports 3,981 cases; 114 deaths
• 30% of cases in 5 cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Pune
• 63% fatalities among those above 60: Govt Data
• 2 private hospitals in Mumbai sealed after staffers test positive

April 6, 2020

• GoI reports 3374 positive cases; 79 deaths
• France records lowest daily increase in deaths in a week; Italy reports lowest increase in deaths in 2 weeks
• Ethiopia records first 2 deaths
• Japan to declare state of emergency

April 5, 2020

• India reports 3,300+ cases; 77 deaths
• 42% of positive cases in 21-40 age group: Health Ministry
• ICMR approves rapid antibody-based blood test

April 4, 2020

• India reports 3,000+cases, 72 deaths
• Centre grants 17,000 crore states to combat Covid19

April 3, 2020

• India reports 2,000+ cases, GoI announces 50 deaths
• World Bank approves $1 billion emergency funds for India
• Worldwide Covid19 cases hit 1 million mark
• Iran speaker, Israel Health Minister test positive

April 2, 2020

• India reports 1,600+cases, GoI announces 41 deaths
• Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi, reports first death
• Mumbai’s Seven Hills Hospital to become India’s largest Covid19 facility

April 1, 2020

• India reports 1,300+ positive cases; 35 deaths
• Maharashtra tops in positive cases
• UN Chief says Covid19 worst crisis since WWII
• White House says Americans should be prepared for 100,000-200,000 death toll
• Spain, U.K., France each reported highest daily jump in deaths

March 31, 2020

• India reports 1,200+ cases; 32 deaths
• Govt. says no plan to extend lockdown
• World Bank says millions from China, East Asia will be driven into poverty
• France records highest daily jump in deaths; Italy to extend lockdown

March 30, 2020

• India reports 1000+ positive cases; 27 deaths
• Interstate borders to be sealed to stop movement of migrants
• Govt. allows transportation of all goods; no distinction between essential and non-essential items
• U.S. extends social distancing until April 30
• Germany’s state finance minister commits suicide allegedly over crashing economy

March 29, 2020

• India reports 1,000 positive cases, GOI announces 25 deaths
• China offers to build hospitals in India
• RBI relaxes EMIs for 3 months for all types of borrowers

March 28, 2020

• Global economy now in recession: IMF Chief
• India records 800+ positive cases, including a 9-month-old
• India to join WHO’s multi-country trial of existing treatments

March 27, 2020

• India confirms 700+ positive cases
• The virus moves into Mumbai’s slums, 4 test positive
• Half a million cases confirmed worldwide
• U.S. tops in positive cases, surpasses China and Italy
• Italy reports highest death toll

March 26, 2020

• 606 positive cases in India, including a 3-year-old
• State-owned banks announce special emergency loan products, credit lines for customers
• Centre announces temporary suspension of toll collection on national highways
• U.S deaths soar past 1,000; Spain surpassed China in the global death toll
• China reports 67 new cases, 6 new deaths

March 25, 2020

• On Tuesday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown, starting midnight the same day as the announcement.
• All essential commodities, such as banks, ATMs, petrol pumps, hospitals and grocery shops will continue to operate.
• All transport services such as air, rail and roadways to remain suspended until April 14.
• The total number of positive cases have touched 574, while 11 people have died due to Covid19.
• Karnataka and Maharashtra have recorded the highest number of positive cases with 95 and 89 of them respectively.

March 23, 2020

• Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerey has announced a curfew.
• The government has announced suspension of all domestic flight operations from March 25.
• India’s confirmed Covd19 cases rise to 433 with 8 deaths so far.

March 20, 2020

• India has reported 223 positive cases for Covid19 and four deaths so far.
• The Centre has also decided to extend the regular visa and e-visa of those foreigners stranded in the country till April 15.
• The Railways has canceled 90 more trains taking the count to a total of 224 trains that have been canceled across the country.
• All shops, offices to remain closed in Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 31, the chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced.
• Maharashtra, at 52, remains the state to report the highest number of positive cases for Covid19.

March 19, 2020

• The total number of confirmed cases in India now stand at 169 including 25 foreigners.
• 15 of them have either been cured, discharged or migrated out of the country, reports Times of India.
• The total number of positive cases in Maharashtra have reached 47.

March 17, 2020

• 64-year-old from Mumbai becomes India’s third coronavirus casualty.
• India has also banned entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia with immediate effect.
• The total number of cases that have tested positive for Covid19 in India have touched 125.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued guidelines on the use of masks. It said everyone need not wear a mask. Its use is advisable only if you have symptoms of cough, fever or difficulty in breathing in addition to situations wherein you’re caring for someone who has tested positive for Covid19 or are a healthcare worker attending to patients with respiratory symptoms.

March 16, 2020

• Odisha reported its first positive case for CoVid-19.
  A total of 112 people in India have tested positive for CoVid-19.
• Maharashtra has recorded 33 cases so far, the highest in the country, followed by Kerala with 24 cases.
• In light of the surge in cases in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced Saturday for all schools, colleges, malls and cinemas to be shut until 31 March.

March 13, 2020

• The total number of cases that have tested positive for CoVID-19 in India are now 75.
• Late Thursday, India reported its first death from CoVID-19 of a 76-year-old man from Kalaburgi in Karnataka.
• The Chattisgarh School education department announced for all private and government schools in the state to remain closed till March 31. However, the class 10 and 12 Board examinations will be held as scheduled.

March 12, 2020

• The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared the coronavirus outbreak, a pandemic.
• The Government of India has suspended all tourist visas and e-visas granted on or before March 11.
  “All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/international organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020,” it has said in the statement. The order will be applicable from 1200 hours GMT on Friday, March 13.
• The total number of positive cases for COVID-19 in India now stands at 68.

March 11, 2020

As of Wednesday, March 11, India reported 62 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The highest number of positive cases have been found to be in Rajasthan (17) and Kerala (17).

Late night on March 10, India’s Ministry of Health tweeted out a health advisory asking Indian citizens to refrain from traveling to China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, Japan, France, Spain and Germany — all countries with widespread COVID-19 outbreaks. The ministry has also initiated screening for incoming passengers of all international flights, no matter where they originate, as a preventative measure.

Currently, Kerala is on high alert after eight new cases were confirmed taking the toll to 17. Schools, colleges and movie halls in the state have been asked to remain shut. Mosques, churches, and temples have been told to go slow with events and gatherings.

Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram have banned entry of foreigners.

March 9, 2020
On Monday, March 9, the numbers stood at 41.

Coronaviruses are common and spread via contact with an infected person — inhaling droplets when they cough or sneeze or touching a surface where these droplets may have landed and then touching one’s own mouth or nose.

India has barred visitors from China, Iran, Italy, Japan, and South Korea, countries with widespread outbreaks, except diplomats and officials from international bodies, NDTV reports.

In turn, Qatar has barred entry to travelers from India, along with a number of other countries.

In Delhi, one of the epicenters of India’s coronavirus outbreak, the city’s Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, has announced all primary schools — aided, private and schools run by the government — in the city will remain closed till March 31.

In light of coronavirus outbreaks in neighboring states, the Karnataka government has shut down all pre-K classes, as well as lower and upper kindergartens in Bengaluru indefinitely.

In addition to this, the Union Health Ministry (UHM) has also issued an advisory to schools across the country: large gatherings are to be avoided, and all staff or students who have traveled to a COVID-19 country in the past 28 days should undergo home quarantined for 14 days, NDTV reported.

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India reported its first positive case on January 30 in Kerala after the virus was first detected by the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 7, 2020.

The biggest group infected by coronavirus in India is a party of Italian tourists, 16 of whom have tested positive for the disease, who are now under observation and care in Gurgaon’s Medanta Hospital.

Amid leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal issuing public appeals not to panic and avoid public gatherings, experts warn India’s high population density, inadequate healthcare system, and heavy internal migration may be risk factors that facilitate the spread of the disease.

COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease that scientists suspect doesn’t always show symptoms in carriers — raising worries over ‘super spreaders,’ who are infected people likely to transmit the disease to a larger group in a community. Yet, other health experts offer reassurance: the spread of coronavirus is likely to be more limited in India than in other countries, thanks to the country’s weather.

“India is largely safe, and this relative safety lies in its weather, which acts as a defense against the virus,” said KK Aggarwal, president of Heart Care Foundation of India, to Economic Times. He added it was because of the weather that other diseases such as Ebola, yellow fever, SARS, and MERS had a negligible impact on India, but took a high toll globally. “Viruses, no matter however deadly, lose their killer edge once they encounter India’s relatively high temperature and humidity that make life difficult for them.” Viruses prefer lower temperatures, he said, “which is why they have spread speedily in cooler and less humid areas like Japan and South Korea. In India’s case, an outright outbreak seems unlikely because of the heat and humidity.”

But, as in all cases, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Therefore, the UHM has been proactively issuing precautionary measures foreven healthy individuals to follow, to help prevent the transmission of the disease. These include:

• Maintain at least 1 meter or 3 feet between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing
• Wash your hands frequently, scrubbing with soap for at least 15 seconds before rinsing; clean your hands frequently with hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water isn’t available
• Avoid casual and unnecessary social contact
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze
• Avoid sharing pens, cups, computer mouses, and digital devices
• Avoid touching train straps, doorknobs, lift buttons, and stair banisters
• Avoid contact with live animals or consuming raw/undercooked meat
• Avoid travel to farms, live animal markets, or places where animals are slaughtered

Finally, if you have any symptoms:

• Seek medical care immediately for any fever, cough, or difficulty breathing (while visiting the doctor, wear a mask or cloth over your mouth and nose)
• Call the Ministry of Health’s 24*7 Control Room Number on +91-11-2397 8046 or email them at ncov2019@gmail.com immediately