1,389 people have died of coronavirus in India and 42,836 cases have been reported in the country so far, according to the latest figures from the Union Health Ministry. In the last 24 hours, the country saw the steepest jump in the number of patients in a day, with 2,573 new cases. 83 people have died in the 24 hours/ The spike comes on a day the second extension of the nationwide lockdown by two weeks, to stem the spread of COVID-19 kicks in. While some curbs apply across the country, there are considerable relaxations in areas that are free of the disease and considered medium risk. Travel by air, rail, metro and inter-state movement by road remains banned. Schools, colleges, hotels, restaurants; cinemas, malls, shopping centres, gyms and sports complexes will also stay shut. Gatherings -- social, political, cultural and religious -- are also not allowed.
The country's recovery rate - number of patients who have successfully fought the illness - stood at 27.52 per cent this morning. A total of 11,707patients have recovered so far.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the capital is ready to "re-open" and people "have to be ready to live with coronavirus", while announcing what services can resume from today.
In Maharashtra, the state with the highest number of COVID-19 cases, the tally has touched 12,974, including 548 deaths. Some of the economic activities that are allowed in the state except in containment areas are standalone liquor shops, cabs with maximum two passengers and e-commerce deliveries only for essential items.
Officials in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow, in a late-night order, said all private offices and shops, except those selling essential items, will stay shut. Standalone shops, for essential and non-essential items, can re-open only in residential areas. Standalone liquor shops can open between 10 am and 7 pm with conditions. In Kanpur, the district magistrate has ordered a full lockdown like before, with no concessions.
In Kerala, government offices can function with 50 per cent attendance of Group A and B employees, and 33 per cent attendance in Group C and D category staff. In green zones, shops can be open between 7 am and 7.30 pm for six days of the week, except Sunday.
14 jawans of a Border Security Force or BSF unit in Tripura tested positive on Sunday, more than a week after Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb declared the state "corona free".
The government's move to get migrant labourers to pay their train journeys home and the states to collect that payment is the latest flashpoint between the government and the opposition. Hitting out at the government, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said her party would pay the train fare for migrants, the "backbone of our economy" and "the ambassadors of our nation's growth".
The armed forces on Sunday showed gratitude to India's coronavirus warriors. The mega exercise saw flypasts by fighter jets over state capitals, aerial flower shower and performances by military bands outside hospitals. The Indian Navy's mighty air carrier INS Vikramaditya and ships docked at major ports were lit upto show appreciation to the frontline workers.
Worldwide, more than 3.5 million people have coronavirus, 2,47, 452 lakh people have died.
American President Donald Trump on Sunday said the United States will have a coronavirus vaccine by the end of this year. The coronavirus deaths in the country climbed by 1,450 in the past 24 hours, a tally by Johns Hopkins University showed Sunday, bringing the total number of fatalities to more than 67,600.
