India has crossed the 90,000-mark in the number of coronavirus cases as it recorded the biggest single-day jump of 4,987 new patients, bringing the total to 90,927 cases so far, including 2,872 deaths, Union Health Ministry said today. Of the total deaths linked to COVID-19, 120 patients died in the last 24 hours. More than 34,000 patients have been cured so far as the recovery rate stood at 37.51 per cent this morning. Four states - Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat - which have recorded the highest number of cases in India also reported the biggest surged in COVID-19 count in the last 24 hours.
Here are top 10 developments on coronavirus cases in India:
Maharashtra has reported nearly one-third of the country's total COVID-19 cases. The coronavirus cases in the state crossed the 30,000-mark on Saturday as it reported 1,606 new cases in a single day. With a jump of 884 cases, Mumbai's total reached 18,555.
Tamil Nadu's tally has crossed the 10,000-mark. The southern state recorded 400 new cases in a single day, Delhi has crossed the 9,000-mark in the number of coronavirus cases. On Saturday, the city reported 438 new cases. 129 people have died so far in the city-state.
In Gujarat, the state with the second-highest number of coronavirus cases, 340 new COVID-19 patients were reported on Saturday.
The Health Ministry has published a list of dos and don'ts that urban local bodies can use to contain the coronavirus spread in "informal settlements" in the cities. These localities that are often overcrowded with many people crammed into small living spaces are at high risk of contracting COVID-19 and accelerating its spread.
"A substantial percentage of this population is migrant workers employed in industrial and other informal sector. These areas are characterised by poor structural quality of housing, inadequate access to safe water, poor sanitation and insecure residential status. There are gaps in health and healthcare services," the Health Ministry said in the document. To effectively handle the pandemic at these areas, the Health Ministry said an "incident commander" would be identified to handle "planning, operation, logistics and finance teams" that will work on measures to contain the coronavirus. "The Incident Commander shall report to the Municipal Commissioner," the Health Ministry said.
Kerala reported 11 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the number of active cases in the southern state, which had reported first three coronavirus patients in India, to 87. The state, which had last week declared that it had flattened the curve, reported only 20 active cases on May 10 but six days later, on May 16, there are 87 cases, an increase of 60 positive cases.
The third phase of nationwide lockdown, which began on March 25 to check spread of the coronavirus, ends today. The government is expected to ease restrictions with a focus on projection of "normalcy on ground".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a Rs 20 lakh crore fiscal stimuli to help revive the economy battered by the pandemic. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will today the fifth and final tranche of government's stimulus package after making several big announcements this week, including a Rs 1-lakh crore package for agriculture and allied sectors and Rs 3 lakh crore fiscal support for medium and small-scale businesses.
Spraying disinfectant on the streets, as practised in some countries, does not eliminate the new coronavirus and even poses a health risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Saturday. "Spraying or fumigation of outdoor spaces, such as streets or marketplaces, is... not recommended to kill the COVID-19 virus or other pathogens because disinfectant is inactivated by dirt and debris," explains the WHO.
Worldwide, over 40 lakh people have been affected by the highly contagious illness. The United States - hardest hit by the pandemic in terms of the number of fatalities -- has now confirmed a total of 1,466,682 cases. More than 88,000 have died in US due to COVID-19.
