The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India crossed 40,000 on Sunday, making it one among 16 countries that have crossed that figure. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in its May 4 update said that 42,533 have been tested positive and the death toll stands at 1,373.

The lockdown, imposed first on March 24 was to end on May 3. However, it was extended by another two weeks by the MHA. In an interview to PTI, NITI Aayog Member, V.K. Paul said extending India’s lockdown was part of a plan to curb infection transmission. “...Real goal of lockdown was to suppress the chain of transmission of the virus. So, we will lose that, if we abruptly end it,” Dr. Paul said.

The Hindu has brought out a multi-language e-book on essential COVID-19 information, in addition to covering the developments related to the coronavirus pandemic as it unfolded. Here is a collection of our daily cartoons on COVID-19.

Here are answers from experts on your queries about the virus, a list of State Helpline numbers, a State-wise tracker for COVID-19 cases, deaths and testing, and a map of confirmed cases in India.

Here are the latest updates:

Madhya Pradesh on Sunday reported 49 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 2,837.

The State Directorate of Health Services said that 798 persons have been cured and 174 patients were discharged from hospitals. The death toll climbed to 156, with six deaths being reported on the day - three in Ujjain, two in Indore and one in Khandwa.

(Sidharth Yadav)

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) clarified on Saturday that liquor shops could open in all zones except containment areas. In urban areas, liquor shops that are not in market complexes and malls could open everywhere. However, many State governments, including Kerala have banned liquor sales.

Andhra Pradesh government allowed reopening of liquor shops in all zones except containment areas from Monday, subject to social distancing and other guidelines laid down by the Central government, besides reducing their number significantly.

This apart, the government has ordered that the prices of liquor be jacked up by 25% as a step towards implementing total prohibition. These decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday.

Eight news cases in Ghaziabad, six more in G.B. Nagar

Eight people, including the husband of a Ghaziabad municipal councillor, were tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. The councillor had tested positive on May 1, according to officials. Four persons were found positive in the Kaila Bhatta area of the city. “They had come in contact with a person who participated in a religious congregation in Delhi,” a health department official said.

Delhi is ready to deal with COVID-19, says Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said Delhi was ready to face the COVID-19 threat.

“We will have to learn to live with the virus,” said the Chief Minister, stressing that the nationwide lockdown had prepared the people, the government and the hospitals to deal with the crisis.

Announcing extension of the lockdown by two more weeks, Mr. Kejriwal said the Union government had declared Delhi a “red zone” and his government would permit all the relaxations that the Centre has allowed. He had requested the Centre to declare the 97 containment zones in Delhi as red zones and all other parts as green zones.

DHS report: China hid virus’ severity to hoard supplies

U.S. officials believe China covered up the extent of the coronavirus outbreak — and how contagious the disease is — to stock up on medical supplies needed to respond to it, intelligence documents show.

Chinese leaders intentionally concealed the severity of the pandemic from the world in early January, according to a four-page Department of Homeland Security intelligence report dated May 1 and obtained by The Associated Press.

Trump says coronavirus vaccine will be available by year’s end

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he now believes as many as 100,000 Americans could die in the coronavirus pandemic, after the death toll passed his earlier estimates, but said he was confident a vaccine would be developed by the year's end.

Trump alternated during a two-hour virtual town hall broadcast by FOX News between forecasting a rapid recovery for the U.S. economy and casting blame for the pandemic's spread on China.

One more COVID-19 case was detected in Sundargarh district taking Odisha’s total to 163, the State government said on Monday morning.

The State has 102 active cases, while 60 have recovered and one has died so far.

New Zealand reports no new coronavirus cases for first time since mid-March

New Zealand on May 4 recorded no new cases of the coronavirus for the first time since March 16 and less than a week after the Pacific nation ended a strict lockdown that appears to have contained the outbreak.

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told a news conference the result was cause for celebration, noting the death toll remained at 20 with no additional virus-related fatalities.

Over 100 migrant workers return to Assam from Nagaland

More than 100 migrant workers from Assam who were stranded in Nagaland due to lockdown have returned to their home state on Sunday, officials said.

More than 100 people stranded in Dimapur district of Nagaland have crossed over to Karbi Anglong district of Assam on Sunday, they said.