According to data from Johns Hopkins University, India is now the fifth worst-hit nation by the COVID-19 pandemic after the U.S., Brazil, Russia and the U.K.

A research article published in Current Science says the probable source of origin of Indian SARS-CoV-2 viruses is countries from Europe and Oceania regions, besides Middle East and South Asian regions.

Here is a list of State Helpline numbers. You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here.

Here are the latest updates:

AAP govt not to challenge L-G's orders on opening Delhi hospitals for all

The AAP government will not challenge the Lieutinent Governor's order to reverse the government's stand that Delhi's hospitals will be reserved only for Delhiites, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday.

"I just want to say, that the Centre has decided; the LG has passed the order. This is not the time to bicker about this; what has been done has been done. The decision of the Centre, the LG, has to be followed and implemented in letter and spirit," Mr. Kejriwal, who tested negative for the pandemic, told mediapersons.

Stating that 81,000 beds might be needed by July, Mr. Kejriwal said he would personally monitor setting up temporary COVID-19 centres in places such as stadiums. "If we keep fighting among ourselves, Corona will win," he added.

Over the last 8 days, 1900 people got beds but 150-200 also had to run from pillar to list for beds. When such stories are shown in the media, we make sure to follow each one, he said.  - Jatin Anand

Man who died in Puducherry found to be COVID-19 positive

Puducherry recorded a COVID-19 fatality after an elderly patient from Villupuram who died at the government general hospital on Monday night testing positive for the infection.

The 82-year-old patient temporarily staying in Arumbarthapuram had been admitted to the Indira Gandhi GH with multiple complications on June 4. He died on June 8. The results of a sample test that came in on Tuesday showed positive for COVID-19, officials said.

Meanwhile, 12 new cases were reported on Wednesday.

Apart from one death  the active cases are 84, cumulative total 145 and discharged cases 60. - Dinesh Verma

Pune’s case tally breaches 10,000-mark

More than 50 new COVID-19 cases were reported across Pune district over a 12-hour span as the district’s case tally breached the 10,000-mark on Wednesday to touch 10,012. The total number of deaths in the district currently stands at 442.

Of the total cases, authorities said that only 3,237 were active with as many as 6,235 persons recovering till date. The district’s recovery rate currently stands at 63.29%. - Shoumojit Banerjee

 

Jama Masjid may have to be closed again

 

The Jama Masjid may have to be closed again in view of the “deteriorating” situation in Delhi due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the mosque’s Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari said on Wednesday.

The development comes after the Shahi Imam’s secretary Amanullah died due to the novel coronavirus at the Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday night.

Delhi recorded 1,366 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the tally to 31,309, while the death toll mounted to 905.

Rajasthan seals borders with other states in view of surge in coronavirus cases

The Rajasthan government sealed all state borders on Wednesday in view of a surge in COVID-19 cases. The arrangements would be in place for the next seven days.

All movement to and from the state will be regulated. No person can enter Rajasthan without a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from the state or leave without a pass, Director General Of Police, Law and Order, M L Lather said in an order.

Apart from inter-state routes, check posts will be put up at railway stations and airports as well, the order said. - PTI

Mumbai Police chief meets Ganesh mandal representatives

 

Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh held a meeting with representatives of various Ganesh mandals from the city and sought their views on how they plan to organise the Ganpati festival celebration this year in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

The 10-day festival begins on ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’, which falls on August 22 this year.

“During the over 30-minute meeting, the commissioner sought our views about the forthcoming Ganeshotsav. We said we will follow whatever is the decision of the state government,” Ganesh Galli Mandal secretary Swapnil Parab said, adding that people’s health was top priority at this time.

 

Testing of dead bodies with history of ILI or SARI symptoms to continue

A day after removing the clause pertaining to testing of dead bodies with history of ILI or SARI symptoms, the State Health Department has said that it has been restored.

“We are continuing to do COVID-19 tests among deaths with history of ILI or SARI symptoms. The clause was restored on Tuesday following directions from the Government of India. Swabs will be taken within 6 hours of death for testing,” Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) told The Hindu on Wednesday.

If test result comes positive for COVID-19, all close contacts will be tested as primary contacts, he said.

 

Film shooting in A.P. to resume from June 15

 

A delegation of senior actors, directors and producers representing the Telugu film industry met Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office, near, here, on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media later, actor K. Chiranjeevi said that Mr. Jagan had in-principle agreed to allow shooting of films and serials from June 15 and guidelines for it would be issued soon.

 

COVID spreads to remote villages in Prakasam

Three more persons tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours in Prakasam district, coinciding with the Unlock 2.0, when major curbs on movement of people had been done away with.

The virus has now spread to remote villages in the district as a 32-year-old man from Pandirapalli village got infected as also a 80-year-old man and a 51-year-old man, both from Podili village, COVID-19 Nodal Officer John Richards said.

Both the persons from Podili were primary contacts of an infected person undergoing treatment at the COVID-19 Isolation Ward at the Government General Hospital.

Anbazhagan succumbs to COVID-19

Three-time DMK MLA, J. Anbazhagan, died on Wednesday, days after he tested positive for COVID-19 at a private hospital in Chennai, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced on his Twitter account on Wednesday morning.

DMK president M.K. Stalin confirmed the news in a statement and expressed his sadness and condolences. An official bulletin from Rela Institute and Medical Centre, where he was admitted, said the MLA was fighting for his life with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and his condition deteriorated rapidly early this morning and succumbed to his illness. “He was declared dead at 8.05 a.m,” the hospital said.

Anbazhagan was 61 and is the first legislator to succumb to COVID-19 in the State.

 

Containment zones are a closely guarded secret in Hyderabad

On Monday, a family in Malkajgiri learnt about a COVID-19 case in their neighbourhood apartment. “Police officials came. Then the area was sanitised and the gate of the apartment complex where the person lived was barricaded with a banner about containment. We learnt from others that a medical professional in the complex was under treatment forthe virus,” says Beenoy, a resident of New Mirjalguda in the eastern part of Hyderabad. A month earlier, the area itself would have been cordoned off and marked as containment zone limiting movement of people.

“We are not giving out information about Containment Zones so as to prevent panic among general public,” says an official of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation when asked about the number of containment zones in the city.

 

Luxury hotels all set to welcome guests back

Bengaluru’s five-star hotels are once again rolling out the red carpet. The hospitality sector had gone into a state of suspended animation in the last couple of months with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL), the operator of the Taj Group of hotels, and the ITC Group, that operates a chain of hotels, will see the curtains go up first on their Bengaluru properties after the lockdown.

IHCL’s ‘The Dream, Drive, Discover, Delight’ gives guests the perfect opportunity to drive with families and friends to discover, unwind, and be one with nature once again.

 

Ten child deaths recorded in Maharashtra

Ten minors have succumbed to COVID-19 in Maharashtra since the outbreak hit the State on March 9. The youngest fatality is a 13 month old baby girl from Pune, who had megaloblastic anaemia and acute malnutrition. In resemblance to the global trend, children in the State have shown more resilience against the SARS CoV-2 than adults but experts warn that malnutrition and pre-existing illnesses may cause a high risk.

The State had reported 2,722 positive cases in the age group of below 10 years and the case fatality rate was merely 0.1%. While the State has not segregated data of positive cases in the 11-18 years age group, there were a total of 5,338 cases between 11-20 years and the case fatality in this group was equally low. - Jyoti Shelar

 

Punjab allows distribution of prasad, langar at religious places

 

The Punjab government has allowed langar and the distribution of prasad at religious places, revising its earlier lockdown guidelines.

On Monday, the Golden Temple had restarted its ‘langar’ and distributed ‘prasad’ among devotees, defying the Punjab government’s guidelines.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh too appeared to defend the practice, saying his government had ‘never believed in interfering with the customs and practices of any religion’.

On Tuesday, an order issued by the Punjab’s Home Department said, It has now been decided to allow community kitchens (langar) and serving of prasad at religious places, subject to the condition that physical distancing norms and all COVID hygiene precautions while preparing and distributing food shall be strictly followed.

It also said the standard operating procedure of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for religious places should be meticulously complied with by managements of religious institutions. - PTI

WHO calls for intermittent lockdowns in Pakistan

The World Health Organization has recommended Pakistani authorities reimpose ”intermittent lockdowns” of targeted areas to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, stating the country did not meet the global body's conditions for lifting restrictions.

Four resident doctors of AIIMS Bhubaneswar test positive

Four resident doctors of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, belonging to different departments, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. This comes after 10 other doctors and at least nine nurses tested positive in hospitals in Odisha.

Over 66% of Bengal COVID- 19 deaths due to co-morbidities

West Bengal’s Health Department, which is coming out with the daily update on COVID-19 infections and fatalities, has indicated that over 66% of those who have died of the infection had co-morbidities.

Ten more deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. The number of deaths as on Tuesday went up to 415. And 275 of them, or 66.3%, had co-morbidities, the Health Department said in a bulletin. As many as 140 of the deceased had no co-morbidities.

Section 144 invoked in 6 panchayats in Thrissur

Owing to the spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases in Thrissur, the District Collector has declared six panchayats as containment zones by invoking Section 144.

Avanur, Adat, Thrikkur, Vadakkekadu, Porathissery, and Cherpu are the panchayats where Section 144 has been declared. People should venture out only in emergency cases. Gatherings of more than three persons are prohibited in these panchayats.

Now, home packages on offer for ‘mild’ patients

With home isolation for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients becoming the new norm, healthcare providers are innovating with special packages that offer medical care kits, video consultations with doctors and nurses and even diet plans during the quarantine period.