Coronavirus Pandemic LIVE Updates: India Cases Cross 18,000-Mark, Death Toll at 590; 125 Families in Isolation as Rashtrapati Bhavan Staffer's Kin Tests Positive

Life in a Pandemic | A gibbon, named Jim, holds an employee's protective mask, which is used as a preventive measure against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), at a zoo in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Reuters/Pavel Mikheyev)

Australia to Suffer Recession Amid Coronavirus | Australia will suffer its biggest economic contraction since the 1930s in the first half of 2020 due to coronavirus-driven mobility restrictions, the central banker governor said on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

There are new signs we're heading for a recession with COVID-19 causing the biggest population drop in Australia's history. https://t.co/ly4o1sVyAG #coronavirus #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/AiDpZkmSLH

— 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) April 18, 2020

Coronavirus in India State Wise Update: Delhi Cases | There are a total of 2,081 positive cases in Delhi, out of these 78 cases were found yesterday. These 78 positive cases were found out of the 1,397 samples tested. Out of all the patients admitted at hospitals, 26 are in ICU & five on ventilator, said Satyendar Jain,Delhi Health Minister, ANI reports.

Andhra Government to Give Financial Assistance to Religious Heads | The Andhra Pradesh government has passed an order saying all religious service renderers (Priests, Imams, Pastors, etc ) will be given a one-time financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to support their families during lockdown as all religious institutions have been shut and will continue to be.

Coronavirus Crosses 2000-mark in Gujarat | Coronavirus positive cases in Gujarat crossed the 2000-mark after 127 new cases were registered in the last 12 hours. Death toll has risen to 77. ​Fifty cases have been reported in Ahemdabad, while six people have died. ​The total cases in Gujarat stand at 2,066 and deaths are at 77.

Coronavirus in India State Wise Update: ​472 Maharashtra Cases | A total of 472 new cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) have been reported in Maharashtra till 10 am today, taking total positive cases in the state to 4676. Nine more deaths have been reported, taking the total death toll in the state to 232, said the Public Health of Department, Government of Maharashtra.

New York Nurses Association Sues State Amid Coronavirus | The New York State Nurses Association sued the state and two hospitals on Monday to force them to provide safety equipment and adopt measures to prevent Covid-19 from spreading among its members, highlighting the growing disputes over workplace safety during the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters reports.

Union representing New York nurses files multiple lawsuits, accusing the state and 2 hospitals of allegedly "compromising the health and safety of" members fighting the coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/Y9XZyHpbYP

— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 20, 2020

Life in a Pandemic | A health worker scans a resident with an infrared thermometer to check her temperature as a precautionary measure against the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) at a residential area in New Delhi, India, April 20, 2020. (Reuters/Adnan Abidi)

Top Government Sources on Coronavirus Lockdown | Offices may be reopened, people will likely be allowed to leave home with proper masks and social distancing. No relief is likely for religious and social gathering. All shops may maintain proper social distancing. Situation to be reviewed on May 15. Hotspots like Mumbai, Indore, Noida and other place will be under watch.

Top Government Sources on Coronavirus Lockdown | Top government sources say there is no plan to extend lockdown post May 3. The government is preparing lockdown exit plan, to give guideline based relaxation in many part depending on zones. No plan to restart Railways and aviation sector, only inter-city moment likely to be permitted.

People Gather at Sweet Shops in Kolkata Post Relaxation | People gather at sweet shops in Kolkata, West Bengal, after state government made new amendments for sweet shops to remain open from 8 am to 12 pm. Earlier sweet shops were allowed to operate for 8 hours (8 am to 4 pm), ANI reports.

33 Coronavirus Cases in a Day in Raebareli, UP | Thirty-three cases of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) have been found in Raebareli, UP within one day. The total cases there now stand at 35.

19 Jamaat Attendees Arrested in Prayag Raj, UP Amid Coronavirus | Nineteen people who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi were arrested in Prayag Raj, UP. Sixteen out of them were foreign nations and were in hiding. Had not informed the authorities after repeated appeals.

Indonesia Bans Ramadan Exodus Tradition 'Mudik' Amid Coronavirus | Indonesia will ban the mass exodus tradition, locally known as 'mudik,' at the end of the Muslim fasting month, Ramdaan, in May in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus in the Southeast Asian country, President Joko Widodo said on Tuesday. "I have taken the decision that we will ban mudik," Widodo told a cabinet meeting. "That is why the relevant preparation needs to be done."

25 Medical Staff Infected With Coronavirus in Pune, Maharashtra | Twenty-five hospital staff including 19 nurses tested positive for Covid-19 in Ruby Hall Clinic, said Bomi Bhote, Chief Executive Officer, Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune, Maharashtra, ANI reports.

Coronavirus India Tracker | For latest updates on the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in India, keep following News18's live blog.

What is Coronavirus ? Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. (Image: Reuters/Nexu Science Communications)

Delhi-Ghaziabad Border Sealed After 6 Test Positive | Delhi-Ghaziabad border has been sealed after six people were found infected with the novel coronavirus disease in Ghaziabad. They had come in from Delhi, the border has been sealed on the orders of DM Ghaziabad, News18 reports.

Japan Police Say 11 Unreported Deaths Were Due to Coronavirus | Japanese police reported last month the deaths of 11 people deemed to be unnatural before tests showed the victims had been infected with the new coronavirus, media said on Tuesday.

Trump: Will Suspend All Immigration into US Over Coronavirus | President Donald Trump said on Monday he will suspend all immigration into the United States temporarily through an executive order in response to the coronavirus outbreak and to protect U.S. jobs.

In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2020

125 Families in Rashtrapati Bhavan Isolated Due to Coronavirus | After a sanitation employee’s -- who works at the Rashtrapati Bhavan -- daughter in law’s mother died of Covid-19, the family had gone into self isolation. Now, the daughter in law has tested positive, 125 families have been asked to remain in self isolation.

Petroleum, Diesel Prices Amid Coronavirus in India | Amid coronavirus in India, Diesel consumption, which normally accounts for two-fifths of overall refined fuel consumption, declined 24.2% in March from a year earlier, its deepest decline since April 1998, data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) of the oil ministry showed. Sales of gasoline, or petrol, fell by 16.4% from a year earlier, the worst slide since March 1999, the data showed.

US' Afghanistan Peace Plan Threatened by Covid-19 | The coronavirus pandemic threatens to unravel a U.S. effort to end the war in Afghanistan if Taliban and government prisoners die in custody before they can be exchanged, Reuters reports. Keeping the U.S. peace plan on track has acquired particular urgency as the spring fighting season nears, two sources said, given the danger that accelerating violence could make it harder to contain Covid-19.

The Taliban have killed at least 23 Afghan troops and nine civilians, officials said Monday, as a fresh wave of violence grips Afghanistan despite a deal with the US and a worsening coronavirus crisishttps://t.co/WioIsxwNGo

— AFP news agency (@AFP) April 20, 2020

PM Modi Thanks Civil Servants for Covid-19 Efforts | Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked civil servants on Civil Services Day for their efforts against the novel coronavirus disease.

Today, on Civil Services Day I convey greetings to all Civil Servants and their families.

I appreciate their efforts in ensuring India successfully defeats COVID-19. They are working round the clock, assisting those in need and ensuring everyone is healthy.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 21, 2020

Coconut Tree Climber in Kerala Helps Police Amid Lockdown | Gireesh, a coconut tree climber in Kalavoor, Alappuzha in Kerala has been providing food and water to police personnel since the coronavirus lockdown began."From my small earning, I'm spending a part for Police who are serving us.I don't earn much,so I give them banana or a bottle of soda," he said, ANI reports. (Image: ANI)

WHO: Lifting of Lockdowns Must be Gradual | The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday that any lifting of lockdowns to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus must be gradual, and if restrictions were to be relaxed too soon, there would be a resurgence of infections.

Coronavirus in India State Wise Update: Rajasthan Cases | The number of coronavirus cases in Rajasthan rose to 1,628, with 52 new cases in one day.The fatalities stand at 25.

Some US Producers Reopen | Boeing and at least one other U.S. heavy-equipment manufacturer resumed production and some states rolled out aggressive reopening plans Monday, despite nationwide concerns there is not enough testing yet to keep the coronavirus from rebounding, Reuters reports.

US Protestors Demand Lockdown Opening | The US debate over restrictions for fighting the coronavirus intensified on Monday, as protesters labeled mandatory lockdowns as "tyranny," while medical workers and health experts warned that lifting them too soon risked unleashing a greater disaster. (Image: Reuters)

Coronavirus in India State Wise Update: Karnataka Death | An 80-year-old COVID-19 patient has died in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district, taking the death toll in the state to 17, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said on Tuesday. The elderly person was suffering from Parkinson's disease for the last three years and died at a hospital on Monday, the minister said in a tweet.