Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Maha Cabinet to Discuss Lockdown, Says Mumbai Mayor; Modi Holds Meeting as India Sees 93,249 New Cases

CM Uddhav's 12 pm & 1 pm Meeting to 'Build Consensus on More Curbs' | Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will on Sunday hold back-to-back meetings to ‘build consensus for more restrictions. The CM will meet film and serial producers and directors around noon, while the second meeting will take place with industrialists and business around 1 pm. Several top names have been infected recently, including Akshay Kumar, Sachin Tendulkar, Bappi Lahiri and Robert Vadra. READ MORE

India's total active caseload has reached 6,91,597 andnow comprises 5.54 per centof the country's total infections. A net rise of 32,688 cases recorded in the total active caseload in a span of 24 hours. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Punjab cumulatively account for 76.41 per cent of the total active cases in the country, the ministry said. 

Five States Account for Over 43 Percent of Total Vaccinations | As India races to contain the second wave of COVID-19, five states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal have carried out over 43 per cent of the total vaccinations in the country, according to the Health ministry data. Of the total 7,59,79,651 vaccinations carried out till now, 3,33,10,437 were carried out in these five states.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday announced that all schools for students up to Class 9 will remain closed for two weeks from April 5 in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the union territory. Physical classes for students from classes 10 to 12 will also be suspended for a week, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's office said in a tweet on Sunday.

52 IIT-Jodhpur Students Test Positive for Covid-19 Within a Week | A total of 52 IIT-Jodhpur students have tested positive for coronavirus infection over the last week following their return to the institute to attend practical classes, an official said on Saturday. The students, most of them from Gujarat and Odisha, had returned to the institute to attend their mandatory laboratory sessions after undergoing online classes in their home towns, he added.

PM Modi Chairs High-level Meet to Review COVID Situation as Cases Surge | Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on Sunday to review the COVID-19 situation and the vaccination programme amid a surge in coronavirus cases. Sources said top officials, including cabinet secretary, principal secretary to the prime minister, health secretary and NITI Aayog member Vinod Paul, attended the meeting. India on Sunday recorded 93,249 new coronavirus infections, the highest single-day rise so far this year, which took the total COVID-19 cases to 1,24,85,509, according to Union health ministry data. This is the biggest daily rise in cases since September 19, when 93,337 fresh infections were recorded.

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar took to Twitter to announce that he has tested positive for Covid-19.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 24,81,25,908 samples had been tested up to April 3 with 11,66,716 being tested on Saturday.

India Records This Year's Biggest Single-day Jump | India on Sunday recorded 93,249 new coronavirus infections, the highest single-day rise so far this year, which took the total COVID-19 cases to1,24,85,509, according to Union health ministry data. This is the biggest daily rise in cases since September 19, when 93,337 fresh infections were recorded. The death toll climbed to 1,64,623 on Sunday with 513 new fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed. Registering a steady increase for the 25th day in row, the active cases surged to 6,91,597, accounting for 5.54per cent of the total infections. The recovery rate further dropped to 93.14 per cent, the data stated.

More Beds to Be Operationalised for Covid-19 Patients in Mumbai | In the wake of an alarming spike in COVID-19 cases, the Mumbai civic body on Sunday said it has decided to make more beds operational in medical facilities treating patients of the viral infection in the city. On Saturday, the city reported 9,108 new cases of coronavirus, the highest spike in a single day. "We have operationalised an additional 3,000 beds in dedicated COVID-19 health care centres and dedicated COVID-19 hospitals under the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) in last seven days," civic commissioner IS Chahal said in a statement. 

Akshay Kumar Tested Covid-19 Positive | Actor Akshay Kumar says he has tested positive for Covid-19. "I'm under home quarantine and have sought necessary medical care," he said.

🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/w9Q7m54BUN

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 4, 2021

India Reports 93,249 New Covid-19 Cases | India reports 93,249 new Covid-19 cases, 60,048 discharges, and 513 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry

Ahmedabad: Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, the Gujarat government on Saturday empowered district collectors and municipal commissioners to reserve beds in private hospitals for treatment of the…

Long queues of people seen outside a Covid-19 vaccination centre in Maharashtra's Nagpur. "Govt is doing all they can but citizens must also be vigilant. Always step out with masks as you do with a handkerchief," said a local.

52 IIT-Jodhpur Students Test Positive for Covid-19 Within a Week | A total of 52 IIT-Jodhpur students have tested positive for coronavirus infection over the last week following their return to the institute to attend practical classes, an official said on Saturday. The students, most of them from Gujarat and Odisha, had returned to the institute to attend their mandatory laboratory sessions after undergoing online classes in their home towns, he added.

Goldsmith Community in Gujarat's Rajkot Offering Freebies for Vaccination | In a bid to encourage people to take vaccine, the goldsmith community in Gujarat's Rajkot are offering a nose-pin made of gold to women and hand blender to men getting inoculated at their vaccination camp.

Maha Adds Highest 49,447 COVID-19 Cases in Day; 277 Deaths | Maharashtra on Saturday reported 49,447 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest rise in a day so far, taking the tally to 29,53,523 while 277 fatalities pushed the toll to 55,656, the state health department said. Mumbai city also registered 9,108 new infections, the highest spike in a single day. Previously, on September 17, 2020, Maharashtra had recorded the highest number of 24,619 cases in a day. With 1,84,404 new tests, the total number of samples tested so far in Maharashtra rose to 2,03,43,123, the department said.

Over 26,000 People Get COVID-19 Shots in Ludhiana | As many as 26,483 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the district on Saturday, officials said. Starting Saturday, the district administration is organising a special two-day vaccination drive, under which several camps were being set up in almost every prominent part of the district, they said. Punjab Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu congratulated Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma and his team for the event.

Delhi Records 3,567 Cases, 10 Deaths; Positive Rate Continues to Rise | Delhi recorded 3,567 COVID-19 cases on Saturday and the positive rate continued to rise to 4.48 per cent from 4.11 per cent a day ago while 10 more people succumbed to the deadly virus. According to official data, the positivity rate has mounted from just below one per cent to 4.48 per cent in the last two weeks. Earlier, Health Minister Satyendar Jain had said that the situation is considered under control if the positivity rate remains below 5 percent for several days. On Saturday, the number of cumulative cases stood at 6,72,381. 

Bihar Govt Comes Out with Fresh Restrictions Amid Spike in Covid-19 | The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on Saturday came out with a number of fresh restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19, which has seen a country- wide surge in the recent past. Guidelines were issued by the state's home department after a high-level meeting, chaired by Kumar, reviewed the situation in Bihar. Reopening of schools and colleges, which were scheduled on April 5, shall now be deferred till April 11 and all institutions have been directed to reschedule tests and examinations accordingly, the department said in a release. 

Covid-19 in India Beats US, Set to Surpass Brazil | India on Friday added 89,030 new cases, more than any other country, surpassed, on average, the number of new infections in United States, and was set to overtake Brazil over the weekend to become the country with the worst outbreak in the world amid a second wave in the country that led to 92,961 new infections on Saturday — the highest since September 17.

The Centre on Saturday directed the states and UTs that no fresh registrations of healthcare and frontline workers will be allowed as some ineligible beneficiaries in this category were getting their names enlisted for vaccination against COVID-19 in violation of rules. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter, said registration of persons aged 45 years and above will continue to be permitted on Co-WIN portal, and asked the states/UTs to ensure universal vaccination of already registered healthcare workers (HCWs) and frontline workers (FLWs) at the earliest.

Over 80,000 Vaccinated Against COVID-19 in Delhi on Saturday | The coronavirus vaccination drive in Delhi received a boost on Saturday with over 80,000 beneficiaries, the highest daily figure so far, taking the jab, including more than half in the 45-59 age group. According to official figures, the number of people who received the jab till 6 pm was 80,797, including 72,232 who received the first dose of the vaccine. The first dose was given to 21,432 people aged 60 years and above and 45,787 in the age group of 45-59 years. A total of 8,565 beneficiaries received the second dose of the vaccine.

Record Spike of 10,827 COVID-19 Cases in Pune District | Pune added over 10,000 COVID-19 cases for the first time in a day on Saturday, taking the district's tally to 5,62,335, an official said. The day saw 10,827 cases being registered, while 66 patients died and 3,293 people recovered, he added. Of the new cases, Pune city accounted for 5,720, Pimpri Chinchwad 2,832 and the rest were in the district's rural and cantonment areas, he said. The caseload in Pune city is 2,83,819, while it is 1,47,546 in Pimpri Chinchwad and 1,30,970 in rural and cantonment areas.