After being suspended for two months, due to the coronavirus lockdown, domestic air travel is set to resume in India today.

the Health Ministry issued new guidelines for inter-State travel and international arrivals, stating that only COVID-asymptomatic domestic passengers/ international arrivals will be permitted with the advice that they shall self-monitor their health for 14 days.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in its May 25 update said that 1,38,845 have been tested positive in the country and the death toll stands at 4,021.

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 are the latest updates:

7 deaths, 805 new cases in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu reported 805 new positive cases on Monday, and 7 deaths. As many as 407 were discharged today, said Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar

- Serena Josephine

2 more deaths in J&K

Two more people, including a 63-year-old lawyer, have died of coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the death toll due to the disease in the Union Territory to 23, officials said on Monday.

Both of them, the lawyer from Jammu and a 65-year-old woman from Kulgam district of south Kashmir, had undergone COVID-19 tests last week, the officials said.

The Jammu lawyer breathed his last at the Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Science (ASCOMS) Hospital due to multiple complications on Sunday, the officials said.

"We had the first coronavirus-related death. The deceased had co-morbidities also and was admitted to the hospital on May 22," Medical Superintendent, ASCOMS, Dr Rabinder Rattanpal told PTI.

"We received the report hours after his death on Sunday night and the set protocol is being followed to hand over his body to the concerned," he said.

"A 65-year-old lady from Bugam village in Kulgam was admitted to SMHS Hospital Srinagar on Friday with bilateral pneumonia but died the next day. Her reports came today and she tested positive for COVID-19," an official said.

A total of 1,621 positive cases were reported across Jammu and Kashmir, including 1,360 in the Valley and 261 in Jammu region, till Sunday evening. Among them, 809 patients have recovered.

- PTI

1 death, 93 new cases in Karnataka

A total of 93 COVID 19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka on Tuesday. With this, the total number of cases in the State stands at 2182.

Another death has been reported in the State, a 43 year old man in Dakshina Kannada. With this, the total number of  COVID 19 deaths in the State stands at 44.

- Tanu Kulkarni

49 new cases in Kerala

Kerala reported 49 new positive cases on Monday. With 532 recoveries, the number of active cases now stands at 359, according to the State health bulletin.

The DC, Gurugram, has said that passes will  not be required for Delhi-Gurugram cross-border movement in case of confirmed air and train tickets. The passengers can also hire cabs to  travel for this purpose.

- Ashok Berwal

15 test positive in Uttarakhand

Fifteen more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand on Monday, taking the total number of cases to 332.

While 58 patients have recovered, three migrated to other States, a health department bulletin said.

Four COVID-19 patients have died in the State, it said, adding that three of them were suffering from other ailments. The cause of the death of the fourth patient is not clear as yet, it said.

The fresh cases were reported from Udham Singh Nagar (four), Pauri Garhwal (three), Haridwar (three), Chamoli (two), Tehri (one), Dehradun (one) and Pithoragarh (one) districts.

All of them had returned from other parts of the country.

- PTI

2 new cases in Manipur

Two more persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Manipur, taking the total number of cases in the State to 34, officials said on Monday.

Of the 34 COVID-19 cases in Manipur, 30 are active as four have already recovered, they said.

The two new cases were that of a 26-year-old-male from Churachandpur district while the other is that of a 21-year-
old from Noney district.

A statement issued by the COVID-19 Common Control Room said the "condition of the two was stable", adding that the infected individual from Churachandpur district has now been shifted to isolation facility of district hospital while the
other will be shifted to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

Churachandpur district has the highest number of 18 COVID-19 cases with 16 of them Chennai returnees.

- PTI

Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district extends curfew till June 30

Coronavirus curfew has been extended in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district till June 30, an official told PTI.

63 out of total 210 COVID-19 cases in the State are from Hamirpur.

The district now has 57 active cases out of total 142 active cases in the state. One COVID-19 patient has died and five have recovered, according to the data.

Chennai airport reopened for domestic passengers on Monday.   | Photo Credit: B Velankanni Raj

A total of 418 flights will be operated by airlines on day one of resumption. This includes 210 flights by Indigo, 81 by Spicejet and 38 by Air Asia. Air India and Vistara will be operating 20 flights each.

Operations are smooth, passengers are well informed about protocols, said IndiGo's President and Chief Operating Officer, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer - Jagriti Chandra

Delhi cases cross 14,000 mark

As many as 635 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 14,053, according to a health bulletin released by the Delhi government on Monday.

Also, 15 more deaths have been reported, taking the total number of deaths to 276. But all the deaths did not happen in the past 24 hours.

Of the 14,053 cases, 6,771 people have recovered and there are 7,006 active cases. - Nikhil M. Babu

69 more COVID-19 positive cases take total number in Bihar to 2643. - Amarnath Tewary

HRD increases exam centres for pending class 10, 12 board exams to 15,000

The CBSE will conduct the pending class 10 and 12 board exams at 15,000 centres across the country instead of 3,000 centres planned earlier, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ announced on Monday.

The decision has been taken to ensure social distancing at exam centres and minimise travel for students.

The HRD ministry has already announced that students will appear for exams at schools in which they are enrolled rather than external examination centres.

Nagaland reports 3 COVID-19 positive cases

Nagaland on Monday reported its first cases of COVID-19 although a person in the State’s commercial hub Dimapur had tested positive after being referred to a hospital in Assam more than a month ago.

Menukhol John, Nagaland’s Principal Secretary Health, said three people – two men and a woman – who returned from Chennai in Tamil Nadu last week tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Officially, Nagaland is the last of the northeastern States after Sikkim to report COVID-19 positive cases. - Rahul Karmakar

69 new cases in Karnataka

Another death in Karnataka due to COVID 19 has been reported on Sunday.

According to a media bulletin by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, a 55-year-old woman who was a resident of Bengaluru Rural who had a medical history of SARI was admitted to designated hospital on May 19 and passed away on Sunday.

The total number of COVID 19 deaths in Karnataka now stand at 43.

Meanwhile, as many as 69 new COVID 19 positive cases reported in Karnataka on Monday. With this, the total number of cases stand at 2158. - Tanu Kulkarni

AP announces mandatory institutional quarantine for flyers from six States

The State government has announced conditions to be followed by the air passengers and airlines in view of resumption of domestic airline operations in the country.

All the flyers would be screened at the airports for symptoms and symptomatic persons would have to undergo institutional quarantine where they would be tested on arrival once and again after seven days.

Persons coming from high incidence places like Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will have to undergo mandatory institutional quarantine for seven days. They will then be tested and sent for home quarantine if the test shows negative for COVID-19. - Tharun Boda

Even after lockdown relaxations, situation still under control in Delhi: Kejriwal

Even after lockdown relaxations, situation still under control in Delhi, says Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Addressing a press conference in the National Capital, Mr. Kejriwal says Delhi government hospitals have 3829 beds on which oxygen is available on 3164. Only 1478 of these beds are currently occupied.

Only 11 of the 250 ventilators are being used in the hospitals, he adds.

3,314 COVID-19 patients are getting treatment at their house, about 2,000 admitted at hospitals, Mr. Kejriwal says. - Jatin Anand

COVID-19 case in Delhi's Health Ministry

A person working at Health Minister Satyendar Jain’s office has tested positive for the COVID-19, officials said.

“He was tested positive yesterday (Sunday) and has been quarantined. Also, the minister’s offices have been sanitised,” the Delhi government source said.

The Delhi government spokesperson did not respond to multiple calls and messages seeking comment.

Earlier, a driver working for the Health and Family Welfare Department at the Delhi Secretariat had tested positive for the virus. - Nikhil M. Babu

First flight takes off from Chennai airport

A passenger being screened at the Chennai airport on Monday. Photo B. Velankanni Raj  

With 116 passengers the first flight to Delhi departed from Chennai airport on Monday, as domestic flight services resumed in the State after two months of lockdown. The flight left the city airport at 6.35 a.m.

The first flight from Delhi too arrived at 8.15 a.m.

Chennai airport will handle only 35 flights on Monday, as against 500 movements that it would usually have before the lockdown. There will be 16 flights arriving and 19 departing from the city airport.

Two new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Puducherry on Monday, pushing up the number of active cases to 31.

Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao said one case was reported in Reddiarpalayam and the other in Muthialpet.

Puducherry accounts for 29 cases while the other two are in Mahe. - Dinesh Verma

Hamirpur district continues to have over one-fourth cases in HP

Hamirpur district continues to have the highest number of novel coronavirus cases in Himachal Pradesh with one more person, a Mumbai returnee, testing positive for the disease, deputy commissioner Harikesh Meena said on Monday.

The number of infected people in Hamirpur district has risen to 63 out of total 210 in the state as of Monday morning, as per state government data.

The district now has 57 active cases out of total 142 active cases in the state. One COVID-19 patient has died and five have recovered. - PTI

70 new cases in Rajasthan

Rajasthan recorded 70 new cases of coronavirus, officials said. The number of cases in the state now stands at 7,100 and fatalities at 163.

A total 3,856 patients have recovered and 3,420 have been discharged. There are 3,081 active cases in the state as of now

Among the total positive cases in the state are 1,701 migrants who travelled from different parts of the country to Rajasthan and were tested positive, the state government said.

Liquor shops open in Puducherry

Customers waiting in queue to buy liquor as retail liquor outlets reopened on Monday. A scene at Anna Salai in Puducherry.   | Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar

Retail IMFL outlets and arrack shops reopened in Puducherry and Karaikal on Monday after a two-month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A special excise duty has been imposed on liquor brands to make prices on par with neighbouring States and to prevent influx of tipplers from bordering districts. As a result, the price of 154 out of the 920 brands in Puducherry, which are also available in Tamil Nadu has been hiked to eliminate price difference, while a 25 per cent tax has been slapped on remaining brands. A 20 per cent tax applies on arrack.

The revised tax structure for Mahe and Yanam is being worked out.

With 35 fresh positive cases by 9 a.m. on May 25, the total cases in Assam reached 427; 363 of them are active cases while 57 have recovered.

4 have died in the State and 3 cases were migrated to other states.

- Rahul Karmakar

Flights between Mumbai, Pune and Mysuru, that were to begin on Monday, from Karnataka's Belgaum airport (civilian airport in Sambra) have been canceled.

Flights between Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bengaluru will operate, airport director Rajesh Kumar Mourya tweeted on Monday morning.

The airport had prepared for the operation of 13 flights to connect Belagavi to five cities.

- Special Correspondent

103 COVID-19 positive cases were detected in Odisha taking the State’s total to 1438 on Monday.

Total active cases stand at 881, while 550 had been discharged and seven had died so far, according to officials.

- Prafulla Das

TN e-pass on arrival

For a couple of days, those arriving at Chennai airport can also get the TN e-pass from counters at arrival hall, AAI officials said. Passengers can register online through TN e-pass portal too. It is mandatory to get the TN e-pass to enter Tamil Nadu.

- Sunitha Sekar

According to the data from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India’s single day spike continued its upward trend for the 7th day on Monday with 6977 new COVID-19 cases being reported along with 154 deaths.

- Bindu Shajan Perappadan

Thirteenth COVID-19 death in Bihar reported as a 60 year old man from Majhaulia in Siwan district died at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) in Patna on Sunday

He was also suffering from kidney ailment and diabetes and was admitted at the hospital on May 22. His test result came positive on Sunday evening.

The tally of COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar has now risen to 2574.

- Amarnath Tewary

4 fresh cases of COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh; tally rises to 208

Four more people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh, taking the number of cases in the state to 208, while a 72-year-old woman died due to the disease at a hospital here, officials said on Monday.

With the latest fatality, the death toll due to COVID-19 has increased to five in the state.

Of the fresh COVID-19 cases in the state, three people are from Shimla district, Raj said, adding that their samples were sent for testing from the district’s Matiana area. They had returned from Mumbai on May 18, the officials said.

The fourth case was reported from Hamirpur, where a 25-year-old woman tested COVID-19 positive, Deputy Commissioner Harikesh Meena said. She had returned to her in-laws house from Mumbai on May 22, he said. Her 29-year-old husband tested COVID-19 positive a few days ago and was admitted to a COVID care centre in Hamirpur district for treatment, Meena said.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Himachal Pradesh is 140 and 63 people have recovered so far, according to the officials.

- PTI

Full PPE kits being sold at the terminal in Delhi airport before people board flights   | Photo Credit: Jaideep Deo Bhanj

As domestic passenger flights were resumed in a graded manner on Monday, hundreds of people reached the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi to take early morning flights to their hometowns and workplaces.

Flight operations remained shut for two months owing to the nationwide lockdown necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Those who took first flights included paramilitary personnel, army men, students and migrants, who failed to book a ticket on special trains being run by the railways.

Many said they shelled out more to reach the airport as there were limited public transport options available.

- PTI

China reports 11 new mainland COVID-19 cases vs 3 a day earlier

China reported 11 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the mainland as of end-May 24, up from three a day earlier, the National Health Commission reported.

The commission said in a statement all of the new infections were imported cases involving travellers from overseas. Ten of the new cases were in Inner Mongolia region, with one in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

White House limits travel to U.S. from Brazil

The White House on Sunday said it was prohibiting most non-U.S. citizens from traveling to the United States if they had been in Brazil in the last two weeks, two days after the South American nation became the world No. 2 hot spot for coronavirus cases.

Mumbai breaches 30,000-mark

Mumbai reported 1,725 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the city’s total cases to 30,542. This is the second-highest single-day surge after May 22, when 1,751 new cases were recorded. The city also reported 39 deaths, taking the total fatalities to 988.