The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in India crossed the 42,000-mark on Monday, while the death toll topped the 1,300-mark as well. At 10 AM on this day, the COVID-19 tally in India has reached 42,533 cases, which includes 29,453 active cases, 11,707 cured, discharged, and migrated patients, and 1,373 deaths.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as many as 2,553 new cases and 72 deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours, the sharpest increase in the number of COVID-19 infections for the country. However, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan maintains that the growth rate of COVID-19 cases in India has been steadying for a while and that the nation is on the path of winning the fight against SARS-CoV-2.

Notably, a total of 11,07,233 samples have been tested as of 9 AM on Monday, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

In India, the state of Maharashtra has emerged as the epicenter of coronavirus spread where cases are nearing the 13,000-mark with around 550 deaths. Notably, Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, has become the hotbed of the coronavirus spread in the state. One of the real challenges in Mumbai is controlling the disease contamination in Asia's biggest slum -- Dharavi, which is an extremely densely-populated region.

In terms of the COVID-19 tally, Maharashtra is followed by Gujarat with 5,428 cases and Delhi with 4,549 cases.

As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak continues to spread like wildfire in India, the central and state governments are respectively amping up all of their efforts to check potential contamination. The third phase of the nationwide lockdown began today with "considerable relaxations", as the pre-existing quarantine was further extended for the second time by the Ministry of Home Affairs for two weeks beyond May 3. However, governments are also keeping in place necessary curbs so as to not lose all the gains that have been achieved in the battle against the virus.

While some states have decided to abide by the Union Ministry of Home Affair's guidelines to regulate different activities in the red, green, and orange hotspot zones based on risk profiling, some of the other states have decided to modify the pre-existing regulations to allow considerable relaxation. Many states have announced the opening of shops selling non-essential items like clothes, shoes, stationery, paan, cigarettes, and liquor.

Around 20 central teams have also been constituted for deployment to as many as 20 districts in nine states across the country. These teams will visit the places with a high caseload of COVID-19 infection and help the local administration implement cluster containment measures and discuss strategies to cut the spread of the virus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on this day participate in a video conference meeting of the non-alignment movement (NAM) over the COVID-19 crisis. The meeting will happen at around 4.30 PM and will also be attended by the Union Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S Jaishankar.