Coronavirus:India death toll stood at 559; cases rise to 17,656
NEW DELHI : The total number of novel coronavirus cases in India today surged to 17,656, after 1,540 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours, according to the latest data of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Along with that, the number of Covid-19 deaths in the country increased to 559, it said.
The numbers come on a day when the country takes the first step towards relaxing restrictions imposed during the lockdown announced by the Centre on March 24 to arrest the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
The nation-wide death due to the novel coronavirus today touched 559, with a total of 17,656 cases in India, including 14,255 active ones. Of this number, 2,851 patients have been cured. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has advised states to not dilute lockdown regulations and instead make them stricter as the number of coronavirus cases continue rise across the country.
Maharashtra today recorded 466 coronavirus positive cases, taking its tally to 4,666, said health officials. Nine COVID-19 patients died on Monday, taking the death toll in the state to 232. So far, 572 COVID-19 patients have been discharged in the state after recovery, the officials said. The highest number of cases were reported from Mumbai with more than 2,724 positive Covid-19 patients.
Maharashtra was followed by Delhi, which has crossed 2,000-mark with 2,003 cases and 45 deaths, according to the latest data. The other states that crossed the 1,400-mark in the number of coronavirus cases in descending order are Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. Uttar Pradesh became the next state in the country after these to top 1,000 cases.
The government added that the number of districts where no case has been reported in the last 14 days has increased to 59, and that Goa is now coronavirus-free.
The re-opening, albeit in a limited manner, will be good news for the lakhs of unemployed migrant workers and daily labourers who had been left jobless by the ban on activity under the lockdown.
Three states – Telangana, Punjab and Delhi – decided on Sunday not to ease the lockdown restrictions in line with the Centre’s guidelines. While Delhi and Punjab governments said there will be no relaxations till the lockdown ends on May 3, The K Chandrasekhar Rao government in Telangana decided to extend the complete lockdown in the state till May 7.
Lav Aggrawal said that since the lockdown has got implemented, the doubling rate for the virus infection has seen a significant improvement. “The duration of doubling rate for coronavirus which was 3.4 days before lockdown is now 7.5 days,” he said.
Aggrawal also added that the number of districts where no case has been reported in last 14 days has increased to 59. Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, ICMR said informed that out of 100 coronavirus patients, 80% are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms.
(With Agency Inputs ).
