The death toll due to COVID-19 continued to rise on Sunday, with the country registering a total of 826 fatalities and 26,917 cases, according to the Union Health Ministry. While the death toll rose by 46, the number of cases spiked by 1,975 since Saturday evening.
The number of active cases stood at 20,177, while 5,913 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, the Ministry said. The total number of cases includes 111 foreign nationals, while 312 cases are being assigned to States for contact tracing.
Interactive map of confirmed coronavirus cases in India | State-wise tracker for coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates
However, reports from the States put the total number of cases at 27, 579, out of which 20,274 are active. The nationwide death toll stood at 880, while 6,425 people have recovered.
Maharashtra accounts for the highest number of fatalities, followed by Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Andhra Pradesh.
“Through a graded, pre-emptive and pro-active approach, the Central government is taking several steps along with the States/Union Territories for prevention, containment and management of COVID-19. These are being regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level,” said Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday.
Also read:No new COVID-19 cases after May 16, says study
The country’s death rate, according to the Ministry, was around 3.1% and the recovery rate more than 20%, which, it claimed, was “comparatively better” than most of the countries and could be attributed to the success of the lockdown as well as the containment strategy.
Also read:India says daily growth rate of COVID-19 cases has dipped to 6%
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:
Congress leader dies of COVID-19 in Gujarat
Ahmedabad Congress leader and senior Municipal Councillor Badaruddin Sheikh died of COVID-19 infection.
- Mahesh Langa
Delhi reports 293 new cases
As many as 293 positive COVID 19 cases reported in Delhi today with eight recoveries and no deaths taking the cumulative number of cases to 2918 according to a health bulletin by the Delhi government.
The last time over 200 positive cases was reported in the Delhi was on April 13 with 356 cases.
- Jaideep Deo Bhanj
4 deaths in M.P.
Madhya Pradesh recorded 54 new COVID-19 cases and 4 deaths owing to the illness on Sunday. As many as 28 of the new cases were detected in Bhopal alone. So far, 2,090 cases, 103 deaths and 302 recoveries have been recorded in the State, according to the Directorate of Health Services.
Rajasthan death toll rises to 41
7 people died of COVID-19 in Rajasthan today, taking the death toll to 41, according to the State health department. Today 102 tested positive, taking the total positive count to 2185, 629 people have recovered, and the active cases stands at 1516.
One more death in J&K
The death toll in Jammu and Kashmir reached seven on Sunday after a pregnant woman, who died at a hospital in Anantnag on Saturday, tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials said, as total positive cases in the Union Territory crossed the 500-mark.
Meanwhile, 29 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in the Union Territory on Sunday, taking the total in the Union territory to 523.
- PTI
2 new cases in Uttarakhand
The count of COVID-19 cases in Uttarakhand has risen to 50 with two more persons, including a nursing staff at AIIMS Rishikesh, testing positive for coronavirus.
A 28-year-old member of the nursing staff at AIIMS, Rishikesh and a 32-year-old woman who recently delivered a child at the Doon Hospital tested positive for coronavirus late on Saturday night, Additional Secretary (Health) Yugal Kishore Pant said.
- PTI
11 new case in Telangana, positive cases passes 1000
Telangana reported 11 positive cases on Sunday, taking the total number to 1001. No deaths reported, 9 were discharged, taking the number of active cases to 660.
U.P. death toll at 30
The Uttar Pradesh COVID-19 death toll is now 30 and total positive cases is 1,873 as per the state health department. Active cases now stands at 1516. Death toll climbs in Agra, now 10, and positive cases in the district also highest in UP at 372 followed by Lucknow (194), Saharanpur (181) and Kanpur (170).
Number of cases in Varanasi climbs to 37 after seven policemen including a sub-inspector tested positive.
Bihar has reported 15 more COVID-19 positive cases, taking the total number to 274. All of those from four districts, Arwal, Rohtas, Jehanabad and Gopalgunj.
- Amarnath Tewary
19 deaths in Maharashtra, over 8000 positive cases
With 440 new cases reported on Sunday, Maharashtra breaches the 8,000-mark as cumulative tally soars to 8068. As many as 19 deaths were reported across the State to take the total deaths to 342.
12 of these were reported from Mumbai, while three were from Pune, two from Jalgaon district, and one each from Solapur and Latur districts. As many as 112 patients were discharged today, taking the total number of discharged till date to 1,188.
Dharavi in Mumbai reported 34 new cases on Sunday bringing its total to 275 cases including 14 deaths so far.
- Mumbai bureau
18 deaths in Gujarat, death toll passes 150
Gujarat reported a sharp increase in COVID-19 infections with 230 new cases and 18 deaths, taking the numbers to 3301 cases and 151 deaths.
- Mahesh Langa
The Odisha government will also send buses to Maharashtra to bring back Odia migrant workers. The decision was taken following a discussion through video-conferencing among Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday.
No fresh cases in H.P. for last three days
No fresh coronavirus cases have been reported in Himachal Pradesh for the last three days, a senior health official said on Sunday.
Of the 176 samples sent for testing on Sunday, 38 tested negative while reports of the rest are awaited, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) RD Dhiman said.
Himachal Pradesh has so far reported 41 coronavirus cases. While 22 patients have recovered, 13 are undergoing treatment.
On Saturday, two more COVID-19 patients had recovered from the disease, taking the total number of those cured in the State to 22.
So far, 41 coronavirus cases have been reported in the state. The number of active cases is 13. Two people have died of COVID-19 in the State.
- PTI
11 fresh cases in Kerala
A doctor and two health workers were among the 11 people detected with COVID-19 in Kerala on Sunday, with the total positive cases so far touching 468.
Of the six new cases from the high-range Idukki district, one person had returned from Spain and two from neighbouring Tamil Nadu and three, including a doctor, had been infected through contacts,Health Minister K K Shailaja said.
Five cases were reported from Kottayam district-- one person had come from outside the state and the remaining, including two health workers had been infected through contact, the minister said in a press release.
- PTI
One more death in Rajasthan
Rajasthan reported one more death on Sunday, a 60-year-old woman, with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, taking the death toll to 36. As many as 69 more people tested positive in Rajasthan on Sunday, bringing the number of confirmed virus cases to 2,152, according to the health department.
Jodhpur reported 23 new cases, 20 from Nagaur, 11 from Ajmer, six from Jaipur, three from Kota, two from Dholpur and one each in Sikar, Bharatpur, Hanumangarh and Jhalawar.
So far 518 patients have tested negative for the infection after treatment, of which 213 have been discharged from hospitals.
- PTI
Not right to blame entire community for acts of few done out of anger: Bhagwat
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is speaking to RSS volunteers via an online address.
"It isn't right to blame the entire community for the acts of few done due to fear or anger. People with faults are everywhere. Everyone must take precaution that this is the matter or nation's interests and there will be cooperation always.
"There are people to fan feelings of hatred. They are playing their games. Many people are also thinking like, Bharat tere tukde honge .
"We have to stay safe from them. We must not be reactionary to it or have hatred. 130 crore Indians are our brothers and sons of Bharat Mata.
"Fear and anger should not be instilled in both sides. Those who lead communities must save communities from it. They must keep the communities away from any act out of fear or anger"
"What happens when we don't do it? Two sanyasees were killed in Maharashtra. Should that happen? What should police do? We must think upon it.
"We all are sad because of their deaths. We will follow the program given by VHP to pay tributes to them."
- Alok Deshpande
81 new cases in A.P., 52 from Krishna district alone
Andhra Pradesh has reported 81 new positive cases in the last 24 hours, with 52 of those cases in Krishna district. The State now has a total of 1097 cases, 835 of them still active and 231 have been discharged. The death toll remains at 31.
- Health department
One death in Tamil Nadu, 64 more test positive
Tamil Nadu reported one death on Sunday, taking the death toll in the State to 24. Today, 64 people tested positive in the State, while 60 patients were discharged. The number of active cases in TN stands at 841, total cases at 1885 and 1020 have recovered so far.
- Health department
Assistant Director of Bengal Health Services dies of suspected COVID-19
One of the top public medical professionals of West Bengal, Assistant Director of West Bengal Health Services Biplab Kanti Dasgupta, died early on Sunday.
While it is not yet officially announced that Dr. Dasgupta was afflicted with the COVID-19, the West Bengal Doctors Forum (WBDF) has claimed that this is the “first reported death” of someone from the “medical fraternity in the State, who tested positive for COVID-19”.
Eight more COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar take the State tally to 259. Among the eight, two males and two females are from Gopalgunj district and four males are from East Champaran district.
--Amarnath Tewary
29 new COVID-19 cases have been detected in Jammu and Kashmir. With this, cases have crossed 500-mark, according to officials.
--PTI
Maritime bodies seek PMO intervention to bring back stuck seafarers
Thousands of Indian seafarers are currently stuck aboard cruise and cargo vessels in far off waters, and the country may face disruption in supply chain if they are not brought back, maritime bodies said on Sunday.
With the Indian airspace remaining closed for domestic and international passenger flights, the bodies have sought intervention of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for devising a strategy to bring back such “essential supply workers”.
Set out holistic plan for lockdown exit: Cong. to PM
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Monday video-conference with Chief Ministers , the Congress on Sunday said the party hoped that Mr. Modi would put out ‘a comprehensive and holistic plan’ to exit the ongoing lockdown.
The party also questioned the government’s testing strategy to fight the coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic and asked why the country was testing far below its capacity.
45-year-old dies in Karnataka
A 45-year-old woman, who tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted at a designated hospital in Bengaluru earlier this week, died on Sunday. She was suffering from SARI and had a history of pneumonia. She was also diabetic and had a history of tuberculosis.
In addition to this, three new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Karnataka on Sunday, taking the State tally to 503.
Two of these cases have been reported from Kalaburagi, while one case from Dakshina Kannada.
--Tanu Kulkarni
15 CRPF personnel based in Delhi test COVID-19 positive
Fifteen Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel posted in a Delhi-based battalion have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Sunday.
The troops belong to CRPF’s 31st battalion in which nine men had tested positive on Thursday, a senior official said.
--PTI
Kejriwal asks COVID-19 survivors from all faiths to donate plasma
Chief Minister Arvind Kerjiwal on Sunday requested patients who had recovered from COVID-19 to come forward and donate plasma as plasma therapy was showing positive results and had saved the lives of many critical COVID-19 patients .
The CM requested people from all faiths to come forward to donate the plasma. “People of all faiths and religions are coming forward to save the lives of people belonging to other faiths and religions. So what if the life of a Hindu patient is saved by the plasma donated by a Muslim patient who has recovered from COVID-19, and what if a Muslim patient who is serious is saved by a Hindu patient,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
Avail free COVID-19 treatment, don’t fear costs: Maharashtra minister
The Maharashtra government has decided to make coronavirus tests and treatment in medical and dental colleges under the State’s Medical Education Department free and people should not avoid treatment thinking about high costs, Minister Amit Deshmukh said on Sunday.
Mr. Deshmukh, guardian minister of Latur district, said the decision was taken as Maharashtra has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
--PTI
MNCs, IT, BPO offices in Gurgaon may have to work from home till July end in view of COVID-19 crisis, a senior Haryana government official said.
Several real estate projects in Gurgaon have been permitted to resume construction in accordance with social distancing norms, he added.
--PTI
113 stranded Sri Lankan nationals evacuated by special flight
A total of 113 Sri Lankan nationals stranded in various parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala departed to the island nation by a special flight, from Coimbatore on Sunday.
According to the police, Sri Lankan nationals, including students, who were stuck in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala after the coronavirus lockdown was enforced, were identified and brought to the city.
All of them left by a Sri Lankan Airlines flight this morning, they said.
--PTI
Four new cases in Bihar
Four more COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Bihar taking the State tally to 255. Two males and two females from Gopalgunj distric have been found infected with the disease.
--Amarnath Tewary
Six men who went to same salon test positive in Madhya Pradesh
Six men who went to the same salon for a haircut or a shave in Khargone district have tested positive for COVID-19 . The hairdresser, however, has not contracted the illness.
“We don’t know yet whether they used the same napkin or had direct contact with each other,” said Gopal Chandra Dad, District Collector.
Central teams tour parts of Kolkata, Howrah, Siliguri to inspect lockdown situation
The inter-ministerial central teams visiting West Bengal to take stock of situation relating to COVID-19, toured several areas of Kolkata and Siliguri on Sunday to inspect if lockdown restriction were being followed.
The team stationed in Kolkata, which is led by senior bureaucrat in the Ministry of Defence Apurba Chandra, visited Garden Reach, Ekbalpur, Khidderpore, Mominpur, Chetla and Kalighat areas in the south and southwestern parts the city. They were escorted by sleuths of the Kolkata Police.
--PTI
PM Modi to interact with CMs on Monday to discuss way out of lockdown, COVID-19 fight
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers via video conference on Monday morning on the way ahead in the fight against the novel coronavirus, amid indications that the discussions could also focus on a graded exit from the ongoing lockdown.
This will be the third video conference of the Prime Minister with the Chief Ministers after the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Sources in the government indicated that besides discussing the way forward in dealing with the pandemic, the discussion could also focus on a “graded” exit from the lockdown which is in place till May 3.
4 more test positive in Andaman and Nicobar
Four more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, taking the total number of cases to 33, an official said on Sunday.
All the four persons had come in contact with a COVID-19 patient and his family in Bambooflat area in south Andaman district, he said.
--PTI
Priyanka Gandhi voices concern over situation in Agra, cites letter by Mayor
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said cases of coronavirus are increasing everyday in Agra and cited a letter written by the mayor who has sought bold decisions to save the city.
Agra Mayor Naveen Jain had written a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on April 21, requesting him to “save Agra".
7 more test positive in Haryana, cases near 300
Haryana reported seven new cases of COVID-19, pushing the State total to 294 on Sunday, a state health department bulletin said.
Four fresh cases were reported from Panipat while Hisar and Sonipat recorded two and one case, respectively, according to the health department’s daily bulletin.
Nuh with 57 novel coronavirus cases, followed by Gurgaon (51), Faridabad (43), Palwal (34), Sonipat (20) and Panchkula (18) are among the worst affected.
--PTI
Odisha to send buses to Gujarat to bring back stranded workers
The Odisha government on April 26 announced that it would send buses to Gujarat to bring back stranded migrant workers .
The decision was taken after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan held a discussion on the issue through video conferencing..
Two more test positive in Uttarakhand
Two more persons, including a healthcare worker at AIIMS, Rishikesh, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand, taking the number of confirmed pandemic cases in the State to 50.
One case was confirmed by a testing lab at the Doon Medical College and the other by a lab at AIIMS Rishikesh, it said.
--PTI
Gujarat govt. rolls back decision to allow functioning of shops in residential areas
The Gujarat government has rolled back its decision to allow shops in residential areas to open from today. Now all shops except those in essential service category are to remain shut till May 3 in major cities of the State.
--Mahesh Langa
People of all religions followed lockdown norms: Uddhav Thackeray
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray thanked people of all religions for following the lockdown norms. "Be it Akshay Tritiya or the month of Ramzaan, people have decided to stay inside and I thank them all."
"God is in the form of doctors, health professionals," he said.
The lockdown certainly has benefits, he said. "It stopped multiplication of patients in Maharashtra. We certainly managed to control the spread unlike other countries," Mr. Thackeray said.
He thanked Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for not "playing politics" and "staying with the government".
"Migrant labourers want to go home. But one thing is for sure: that trains won't start
"We have to do it systematically," Mr. Thackeray also said.
He added that the Maharashtra government had not hidden any numbers.
He said that though the growth rate in the disease might be coming down, "we cannot be relaxed".
"We have to avoid crowding.
"Herd immunity is yet to be proven. Corona[virus] can be cured if taken precaution, even if there are no medicines for it.
"Dialysis centres, cancer treatment should start. The State government will cooperate for doctors who are treating non-COVID-19 patients.
"Exhibition ground in Goregaon, Working centre are being set up for isolation.
"1,08,972 tests have been done in Maharashtra. 1, 01,162 were negative.
"For farmers, cotton purchase centres started. No restrictions on fruit movement. No restrictions on agri- activities.
"PM Modi will be holding video conferencing tomorrow. I am in touch with Amit Shah, Modiji. Informing them daily about everything," he added.
--Alok Deshpande
14 BSF personnel quarantined in Chhattisgarh
Fourteen Border Security Force (BSF) jawans have been quarantined in Chhattisgarh for suspected coronavirus infection after they returned from Agra, officials said on Sunday.
Their samples have been sent for testing and the reports are awaited, a senior official said.
Pune district reports 49 new cases over 12-hour span
The surge in Pune’s COVID-19 cases continued unabated after the district reported 49 fresh cases over a 12-hour span, taking the district’s cumulative tally of active positive cases to 979, said health officials on April 26.
With the accretion of the new cases, the district has witnessed a rise of 105 active coronavirus cases over a 36-hour span.
COVID-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh cross 2,000
COVID-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh breached the 2,000 mark on Saturday night, 37 days after its first set of cases popped up in Jabalpur. The State tally stands at 2,036 now, according to State Health Department.
One patient in Karnataka has tested positive on Sunday.
With this the total number of cases stands at 501.
The patient is a 47 year old woman from Panemangalore in Dakshina Kannada district who had come in contact with the patient who was tested positive. She has been isolated at a designated hospital in the district.
Another policeman, a 52-year-old Head Constable, lost his life to coronavirus on Sunday.
This is the second policeman from Mumbai to fall prey to the pandemic
India’s decision to supply medicines to countries was guided by its ethos, says PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his monthly radio broadcast, Mann ki Baat, addressed the people mentioning all the measures taken to fight the deadly coronavirus and appreciated the work done by citizens and people from various specialisations.
We are bringing back migrant workers to Madhya Pradesh, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said the State government had started bringing back migrant labourers stuck in different States in buses.
“We will not let them walk,” he said. “We have seen them walk back home on roads and rail tracks in the heat. They must be a worried lot. So, we will make all arrangements for their travel, send them back to their villages in buses.”
Indore has registered 91 new COVID-19 cases, taking the city count to 1,176.
As many as 57 patients have died of the illness, while 107 have recovered from it in the city.
The number of positive cases climbed to 2,036 in Madhya Pradesh, said Pravin Jadia, Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer.
(Sidharth Yadav)
Odisha’s COVID-19 positive count crosses 100
Odisha’s COVID-19 positive case count has crossed 100, following the detection of nine new cases in Jajpur and Sundargarh districts during the past 24 hours.
While six persons, who returned from West Bengal , tested positive in Jajpur, Sundargarh reported three new cases. The total cases now has reached 103.
India can’t conquer COVID-19 without aggressive testing, says Manmohan Singh
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that without aggressive testing facilities , India would find it difficult to ‘conquer’ the challenge posed by COVID-19 , the Congress said on Sunday.
The party released a short video of an online meeting of the Congress consultative group, headed by Dr. Singh, where senior leaders and former Union Ministers discuss different aspects of the pandemic every alternate days.
U.S. records 2,494 more coronavirus deaths in 24 hours
The United States recorded 2,494 more coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, according to figures reported Saturday night by Johns Hopkins University.
The country now has an overall death toll of 53,511, with 936,293 confirmed infections, according to a tally by the Baltimore-based university at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Sunday).
'I want my life back': Germans protest against lockdown
German police wearing riot gear and face masks tussled on Saturday with dozens of protesters demonstrating in central Berlin against the coronavirus lockdown on public life.
Protesters shouted “I want my life back” and held up signs with slogans such as “Protect constitutional rights” and “Freedom isn't everything but without freedom, everything is nothing”
Spain to allow outdoor exercise
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced an easing of lockdown restrictions on Saturday, as children prepared to go outside for the first time in six weeks and figures confirmed a daily coronavirus death toll running well below the peak seen early this month.
602 cases in 24 hours; city breaches 5,000 mark
Mumbai recorded 602 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, pushing the tally to 5,049. Thirteen deaths were also reported in the city, taking the death toll to 191. The case fatality rate stood at 3.7% and 762 recovered patients were discharged from hospitals.
Global death toll from COVID-19 surpasses 200,000
As the global death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 200,000 on Saturday, countries took cautious steps toward easing some lockdowns, while fears of infection made even some pandemic-wounded businesses reluctant to reopen.
