Total Coronavirus infections at 808 leaving 67 cured and 17 dead in India

• There are more than 724 active cases in which 677 are Indians, while 47 are foreigners.
  
• The MHA said all shops selling groceries, vegetables, meat products, milk products and their home delivery must be encouraged.
  
• Even under lockdown, the number of coronavirus cases rose to 39 after four more cases were registered in the national capital on Thursday.
  
• Bhilwara has seen Covid-19 cases increasing soon after its Bangad Memorial Hospital, leaked infections to become the disease epicentre of the state, Health Department officials.

It is day three of a 21-day lockdown here in India. As the country entered the third and critical phase of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Health data shows that the number of infected cases yesterday crossed the 700 mark.

The current statistics stand at 808 after 67 were cured and 17 died. There are more than 724 active cases in which 677 are Indians, while 47 are foreigners.

A man suspected with Coronavirus case dies in MP

A 47-year-old man was admitted to a hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Indore after being suspected of Coronavirus has died, an official said. The man had no travel history and his test reports are awaited.

There have been two deaths in the state so far. Both victims were from Ujjain who succumbed to the infection.

While a 47-year old suspect was admitted to an Indore hospital died in the early hours of Thursday, a 65-year-old woman with no travel history for over a month had died on Wednesday in Indore government hospital.

Home Ministry’s SOP: Allow home delivery restaurants, shops selling milk, grain and meat

With a mad rush to stock vegetables and groceries for the 21 days shutdown, the government realised that it defeated the purpose of the shutdown —social distancing. Hence, the Home Ministry wrote to Chief secretaries of all states and union territories clarifying the standard operating procedure (SOP).

The MHA insists that the purpose is to contain the spread of the virus while "maintaining the supply of essential goods, including health infrastructure and home livery of foods". Hence the MHA said that all shops selling groceries, vegetables, meat products, milk products etc. and their home delivery must be encouraged.

The MHA clearly states that restaurants with home delivery should be allowed to operate. Similarly, storage facilities for essentials must also be allowed to operate just as transporters, drivers, loaders of essential goods should be allowed to ply, said the MHA.

Coronavirus claims its first victim in Rajasthan

Apprehensions regarding Bhilwara turning into Rajasthan's Wuhan seemed to be turning true as the state's first Covid-19 death was reported in the textile town on Thursday.

he deceased was identified as Narayan Singh aged 73.

Also, two new cases have been reported, and both are close contacts and Singh's family members - his son and his granddaughter, Additional Chief Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh, said.

Bhilwara’s Covid-19 cases went up after its Bangad Memorial Hospital, leaked infections turning it into an epicentre, health department officials.

Agra reports new Covid-19 positive case

With one more positive coronavirus case surfacing in the Taj city, the number of Covid-19 cases went up to nine.

District health authorities on Thursday evening confirmed one more positive case, that of a doctor who returned from the US on March 21.

The son of a nursing home director was also admitted to the isolation ward of the local medical college.

Seven members of a business family, who returned from Italy and were treated at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital, have fully recovered. A female patient who fled from Bengaluru too, is under treatment.

President Kovind to address all governors

In a surprise move, President Ram Nath Kovind would address all the Governors and Lieutenant Governors of the country through a video conference on Friday morning.

Vice-president Venkaiah Naidu is also expected to join the conference from his residence. The President's conference would also be attended by the top voluntary organisations, including the Indian Red Cross Society.

The President would have detailed interactions with the Governors, particularly of 7 to 8 states where the COVID-19 crisis seems to be serious, official sources told to IANS.

4 new cases reported in Delhi, total 39

The number of coronavirus cases rose to 39 after four more were registered in the national capital on Thursday.

Of the 39 cases, 29 travelled abroad while ten came in contact with infected persons. In the last 24 hours, four new cases have been reported.

According to the Delhi Health Department, till Thursday, 12,703 passengers have been put under home quarantine while 4,513 passengers completed their 14-day quarantine period.

"A total of 1,173 passengers are quarantined at the government facilities," the Health Department said.

"There has been one death, and five people have been discharged so far," it said.

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