Coronavirus live updates: 36% Covid-19 cases from Maharashtra and Delhi alone

1,553 new cases and 36 deaths have been reported in last 24 hours: Health ministry

Total number of Covid-19 in Odisha stands at 68, including 43 active cases, 24 cured and 1 death: Odisha Health Department

A total of 79 areas in the Delhi have been identified as containment zones.

Read: Government to chart plan for higher investments

The government is beginning to reach out to domestic and global investors to work out a strategy for higher investments and reduced reliance on imports in the post-Covid-19 world. Sources told TOI that segments such as mobiles, air-conditioners, auto parts, specialised steel and aluminum products, power equipment, wooden furniture, along with food processing (with potato and orange in focus) are on the table.

Read: Auto, phone companies to remain shut, await local clearance

The Union government’s plans to restart industrial activity in a staggered manner from Monday may have to wait as several states are yet to release operational guidelines to commence production. This would mean that India’s largest automotive clusters in the NCR region and Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu will remain shut for some more time.

Read: Lifting Covid-19 lockdown restrictions is not end of epidemic, says WHO

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Sunday that lifting lockdown restrictions for COVID-19 is not the end of the epidemic, it's just the beginning of the next phase. The WHO chief said it's vital in this next phase that countries educate, engage and empower their people to prevent and respond rapidly to any resurgence, Xinhua reported.

Read: E-commerce firms can deliver only essentials

The Centre on Sunday rescinded permission to e-commerce firms to resume the sale and delivery of non-essential items from Monday. The home ministry spokesperson said the process of permissions and revisions was dynamic and when the list of items that e-commerce firms would have been able to deliver was examined, it was found to be too extensive, raising concerns of the lockdown to contain Covid-19 being compromised.

Read: PM Modi calls for unity, says virus knows no religion, caste

PM Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon the country's youth to summon their spirit of innovation to come up with solutions for the post-pandemic world. He said the world was in pursuit of new business models and India could take the lead. Modi also emphasised that the the virus did not discriminate between people on the basis of faith, community, race or nationality.

Read: Tough road ahead, economy gears up for limited restart

Last week, Centre said all facilities involved in supply of essential goods, shops dealing in food and groceries would be allowed to resume operations as well as all goods traffic for essential goods. Industries outside city limits, units in SEZs, industrial estates and townships and export-oriented units have also been permitted to start their units but with strict conditions and in compliance with social distancing norms.

Read: Biggest spike in Covid-19 numbers yet as Maharashtra, Gujarat report huge spurt

In the biggest surge in the Covid-19 pandemic in India so far, 1,612 new cases were reported from across the country on Sunday, with Maharashtra (552), Gujarat (367) and UP (179) registering their highest single-day count of fresh infections. The huge surge resulted in the total number of coronavirus cases jumping by more than 10% in a single day to 17,325, at the time of going to press.

Read: Telangana first state to extend lockdown, puts curbs till May 7

Telangana on Sunday became the first state in India to extend the lockdown beyond May 3 with chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao making a declaration to this effect at a press conference even as three Covid-19 deaths were reported from the state in the last 24 hours.

UK reports 596 Covid-19 deaths as total tops 16,000

US crude extends losses, down more than 10%