Coronavirus LIVE: Death toll mounts at 54,137, total number of cases around world at 1,033,478

As of around 5 p.m., the toll stood at 54,137 and the total number of cases around the world at 1,033,478.

The global coronavirus toll was over 54,000 on Friday evening with Italy (13,915), Spain (10,935) and the US (6,058) accounting for well over half the fatalities, while the number of cases were fast approaching a million, as per the Johns Hopkins University's Coronavirus Resource Centre.

Gurugram registered five fresh positive cases of coronavirus on Friday. One of the infected persons has direct links to Tablighi Jamaat as he participated in the event in Hazrat Nizamudin.

According to V.S. Kundu, Additional Chief Secretary and nodal officer of Covid-19 in Gurugram, 46 persons who had direct links to Tablighi Jamaat have been identified.

Apart from the corona positive Jamaat returnee, there are two nurses who got exposed during treatment of Covid-19 patients and a person who recently returned from Mumbai and infected his father.

"They are currently admitted in isolation wards of Gurugram and are under the observation of expert medical staff," said Kundu.

The Ministry of Finance today released a total of Rs 17,287.08 crore to different states to enhance their financial resources during Coronavirus crisis. This includes Rs 6,195.08 crore on account of ‘revenue deficit grant’ under 15th Finance Commission recommendations to 14 States.

In the wake of coronavirus outbreak in the country, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) on Friday wrote to educational organizations to apprise them about use of COVID-19 tracking application, AarogyaSetu.

In the letter, it has also been suggested that as requested by Prime Minister in his address on 3rd April 2020, students should light a candle, 'diya' or torch on their mobile for nine minutes at 9 p.m. on April 5 to "realise the power of light and to highlight the objective for which we all are fighting together".

However no one should assemble in colonies or on road or anywhere outside their houses, it stated.

In view of Coronavirus, appointments on different posts of medical & para-medical staff would be made as per requirement on outsource basis for 3 months in the Health Department: Himachal Pradesh Govt

During last 24 hrs,PCR MPVs have shifted as many as 18 women in labour pain to various hospitals all across Delhi. The calls were received from almost all dists of Delhi, 4 from Outer North, 8 from Dwarka, 3 from South, 1 from Rohini, 1 from North-East & 1 from East: Delhi Police

1203 people who had attended Tableeghi Jamaat event in Delhi, have been identified. Out of these, samples of 897 people have been sent for test and 47 of them have tested positive so far: Uttar Pradesh government

3 persons of Bomikhal, Bhubaneswar test positive. Total number of positive cases in the state goes up to 9 now (Cured 2, active 7): Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Odisha

4 positive cases confirmed in Karnataka today - a 75-yr-old man in Bagalkote, a 70-yr-old in Belagavi, a 26-yr-old in Belagavi & a 20-yr-old in Belagavi. The 3 from Belagavi, who tested positive, had attended Jamaat event in Delhi. Total positive cases in state is 128.

Positive COVID-19 cases climb to 29 in Bihar, one person has succumbed to the disease: State Health Department

Today Defence Research and Development Organisation has handed over 2,000 N-95 masks, 100 body protection suits & 400 small hand sanitiser bottles to doctors and nurses in AIIMS, Ram Manohar Lohia and New Delhi Air Force hospital: Sanjeev Joshi, Technical Advisor to DRDO Chairman

11 CISF jawans posted at Mumbai airport tested COVID-19 positive. Total 142 were under quarantine since last few days. Out of which 4 were tested positive yesterday and others were tested positive today: CISF

Result of the first test of 1 jawan had come positive but in the second test it had come negative. Now, his sample has been sent for test for the third time and report is awaited. He is in Isolation ward: Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)

Karnataka: A police personnel in Sullia town of Dakshina Kannada district got injured today after unidentified youth pelted stones at him when he stopped them from entering into the state, from Kerala. He was later administered medical aid.

Total number of Coronavirus cases in the state rise to 166 including 29 cases due to Tablighi Jamat event: Rajasthan Health Department

Out of the total 295 positive cases in the state, 206 have a history of travelling abroad & 7 people are foreigners. 14 people have recovered. This shows that we 've managed to contain the outbreak to a certain level. The elderly couple in Kottayam got discharged today: Kerala CM.

The US Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the country's GDP will decline by more than 7 per cent in the second quarter due to the coronavirus pandemic, its said in a report.

If that happened, the decline in the annualized growth rate reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis would be about four times larger and would exceed 28 per cent, Xinhua news agency quoted the CBO as saying in the report on Thursday.

The unemployment rate was also expected to exceed 10 per cent during the second quarter, the CBO said, in part reflecting the 3.3 million unemployment insurance claims reported last week and the 6.6 million new claims reported earlier on Thursday.

The newly released number of weekly claims was about 10 times larger than it had been in any single week during the recession from 2007 to 2009, the CBO noted.

Situation is under control in Delhi; No need to panic, says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Ten more persons test positive for coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district, number of patients in state rises to 129: officials

Today 102 positive cases reported in Tamil Nadu, out of them 100 people had participated in Tableeghi Jamaat event in Delhi. Total number of positive cases in the state stands at 411,out of them 364 had participated in Delhi's Jamaat event: Beela Rajesh,State Health Secretary

I'll light a diya in solidarity with people of India. But it was disappointing for me to see the Prime Minister devoting his speech to this only because there is so much more that the nation was expecting from him: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on PM's call to light diya on April 5

75 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Jammu & Kashmir, with 5 cases being reported today out of which 70 are active. Four of the new cases are from Kashmir while one came into light in Jammu: Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary (Planning) Jammu and Kashmir.

Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has said that any decision on extending the curfew beyond April 14 would depend on the prevailing situation in respect to Coronavirus lockdown: Chief Minister's Office

102 more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu. Total positive cases in the state are 411.

On the clarion call of PM Narendra Modi, Officers & Staff of Ministry of Home Affairs & Central Police Organizations, as well as 6 UTs without legislature, would contribute one day’s salary (totaling Rs 89 crores) toPM CARES Fund to fight COVID-19: Home Minister Amit Shah

5 people have died in Delhi so far due to Coronavirus, one of them was a person who was from Markaz: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

A total of 384 Coronavirus positive cases have been found in Delhi till now. There has been a rise of 91 cases in the last 24 hours: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Kerala: 53 Oman nationals who were stranded in Kerala due to COVID-19 lockdown in the country were airlifted today from Cochin International Airport by Oman Air.

COVID-19 cases surge to 51 in Punjab. Five people succumbed to the disease while one was cured/discharged: State Health Department

Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister D.V Sadananda Gowda has said there is no dearth of medical supplies to fight COVID-19. He said Govt is paying full attention on manufacturing of essential items like pharmaceuticals & hospital devices:Ministry of Chemicals andFertilizers

Union Ministry of Home Affairs has written to state governments to take strict action in cases of attack on healthcare & frontline workers & ensure the security to medical fraternity: Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Home Ministry

If we look at cases related to Tableeghi Jamaat,in last 2 days around 647 confirmed cases related to it found in 14 states-Andaman & Nicobar, Assam, Delhi, Himachal, Haryana, J&K, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand & UP: Lav Aggarwal

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has appealed to patients & their families not to create any obstacle in the path of doctors while they discharge their duties. He also expressed concerns over misbehavior with doctors & medical staff: Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry

From yesterday till today 336 additional cases of COVID-19 have come before us. Total confirmed cases are 2301, 56 deaths have been reported: Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary Health Ministry

There is no relation between turning off lights&burning candles,with fight against COVID-19. I believe it&that's why I'll not light candle or turn off light but continue to fight COVID-19. If I'll not light candle I'll be called anti-national,but I'm ready:AR Chowdhury, Congress

A police team was attacked in Kannauj district of uttar Pradesh on Friday afternoon when they tried to stop a family from offering 'namaaz' collectively.

The chowki in-charge and two other police personnel were injured in the attack. They have been admitted to the district hospital.

The attackers also damaged the motorcycle of a LIU personnel.

Additional forces were called in and four persons have been taken into custody.

The entire area is now being monitored by drone cameras.

More than 900 coronavirus deaths in the country for the second straight day: Spanish government, reported NDTV

Total number of COVID-19 cases in the state till now is 161 including 21 evacuees from Iran and 24 Tableeghi Jamaat(Delhi) attendees: Rajasthan Health Department

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revises the trading hours for various markets to minimise the risks and to ensure that market participants maintain adequate checks and supervisory controls while optimising thin resources & ensuring safety of personnel

State Govt to setup a Rs 1,000 crore fund which will include enhancing testing lab facilities and procurement of ventilators, masks, sanitizers etc. Apart from Govt, contribution of others including industrial houses will also be sought: Uttar Pradesh Government

The Indore district administration on Friday invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against four men involved in the alleged attack on health workers in Taatpatti Bakhal area of the city.

The Delhi government on Friday announced the shutting down of the out patient department (OPD) services of its two premier hospitals -- Lok Nayak and G.B. Pant -- amid the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the city.

Andhra Pradesh confirms first death due to Coronavirus in the state. A 55-year-old man died on 30th March. He had a medical history of diabetes and heart disease. His son had gone to Delhi & returned to Vijayawada on 17th March, he too was tested positive for COVID19.

DG Fire Services RK Vishwakarma issues guidelines for sanitisation in the light of Coronavirus outbreak - No spraying to be done on humans or animals. No spraying to be done inside houses/buildings due to the presence of electrical equipment/wiring there.

The guidelines also states - Photos to be shared with media via WhatsApp, they won't be called unnecessarily. No unnecessary gathering of people to be allowed

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said that around 1,400 people from the state, who had attended the religious congregation at Delhi's Nizamuddin last month, have been traced.

Talking to PTI, Tope said these people are being isolated or quarantined by the district administrations.

"The quarantine facilities for them will be put in place in their respective districts," the minister added.

At least 9,000 people had participated in the religious congregation at Tablighi Jamaat's headquarters at Nizamuddin in the national capital last month. The event became a key source for the spread of COVID-19 in India as many of the participants travelled to various parts of the country for missionary works.

So far, around 400 COVID-19 positive cases and about 12 deaths in the country were found to have links with the Nizamuddin Markaz.

According the health department officials in Maharashtra, the COVID-19 count in the state so far is 423, while 21 patients have died due to the infection.

Tamil Nadu: Robots have been deployed at Chennai's Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital to serve food and medicines to COVID-19 positive or possibly infected persons.

6th COVID-19 positive case of Odisha detected in Cuttack with recent travel history to Delhi: Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Odisha.

43 people, who travelled from Kashmir to Poonch (Jammu) on foot via Mughal Road without any permission, have been quarantined by Poonch Police: Ramesh Angral, SSP Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir

Muslim leaders and legislators have agreed to give details of the persons who attended Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi and also to convince them to undergo tests for COVID-19 and strict quarantine for the prescribed period: Karnataka Chief Minister's Office.

Bengaluru: Messages displayed outside mosques in Shivajinagar requesting people to offer Friday prayers at home, during Coronavirus lockdown

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces 1-month shutdown starting next Tuesday (7th April), says most workplaces, except for essential services and key economic sectors, to be closed.

The stringent National Security Act (NSA) will be slapped on people who attack policeman enforcing the lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Uttar Pradesh government said on Friday.

The state government's move to invoke the NSA comes in view of reports of several incidents of attack on policemen enforcing the lockdown.

A 78-year-old man from Godhra died on Friday due to the coronavirus infection, taking the death toll in Gujarat to 8. Till Friday, total 95 persons were found positive in the state, including a seven-year-old among the new cases.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday advised all Governors and Lieutenant Governors (LGs) to bolster efforts to contain and manage the spread of novel coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi discusses COVID-19 forced national lockdown with 49 top Indian athletes, including Virat Kohli and P V Sindhu, in a video call.

Delhi: Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan interacted with staff of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital; he said,"The country will always be proud of your contributions and sacrifices, and will always remember it"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding meeting with 40 top sportspersons from various sports via video conferencing, on COVID-19 situation in the country.

A coach has been converted for isolation of possibly infected/COVID-19 patients by Bhavnagar Workshop of Western Railway. 410 coaches will be converted by Western Railway at all its 6 Divisions including Mumbai Division: Western Railway.

12 more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Andhra Pradesh, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 161: State nodal officer for COVID-19, Arja Srikanth

Total number of COVID-19 positive cases rises to 2301 in India, including 156 cured/discharged, 56 deaths and 1 migrated: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

The 1st COVID-19 positive case in Odisha, belonging to Bhubaneswar has recovered and tested negative; he is being discharged. There are 3 active cases of Coronavirus in the state now: State health Department.

Delhi Police has lodged 21 FIRs at different police stations across Dwarka District against the persons who violated COVID-19 home quarantine norms/conditions. The violators are being booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3 of Epidemic Diseases Act.

14 more ppl tested positive for COVID-19 in Rajasthan; 7 in Tonk (contacts of positive Coronavirus patients who attended Delhi's Tablighi Jamaat)&7 others (6 from Maharashtra & 1 from Jharkhand who attended Tablighi Jamaat event). Total no. of cases is 154 now: State Health Deptartment

Two COVID-19 patients recovered in Bhilwara today; total 17 out of 26 positive cases have recovered in Bhilwara till now. Total number of Coronavirus cases stands at 154 in Rajasthan, including 2 Italians and 23 attendees of Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi: State Health Dept

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has termed the Tablighi Jamaat as a factory of the novel coronavirus.

In a joint statement, VHP President V.S. Kokje, VHP International Working President Alok Kumar and General Secretary Milind Parande, said that instead of bringing people out of masjids, markaz and madrassas, the centre and the state governments should isolate and quarantine them there only to prevent the spread of the virus.

The VHP said that the Tablighi Jamaat meet in Delhi could potentially foil the very objective of the nationwide lockdown, announced with the purpose of checking the spread of coronavirus.

The leaders said that when all other religious places have been shut during the lockdown, people from the Mus

Ali Larijani, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Larijani was currently quarantined and being treated, Xinhua news agency quoted a state media report as saying on Thursday.

Iran is the worst-hit country in the Middle East.

It has so far reported 50,468 confirmed cases, with 3,160 deaths.

Larijani has joined a list of Iranian lawmakers who have tested positive for the virus, including senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali Akbar Velayati, and Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri.

Delhi Police Crime Branch conducted raids at several places in the national capital and surrounding areas till late Thursday in search of those who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi last month as they are suspected to be infected with the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19).

Today when crores of ppl are inside homes, then some of us may think how will they fight this battle against COVID-19 alone. Such questions might come up in your mind? But please remember, none of us is alone. The strength of 130 crores of Indians is with each one of us: PM Modi

The World Bank has approved its first funds to help some of the globe's poorer countries combat the coronavirus outbreak.

It approved total aid of USD 1.9 billion for 25 countries on Thursday. The largest amount of assistance was USD 1 billion for India followed by USD 200 million for Pakistan, USD 129 million for Sri Lanka, USD 100 million for Afghanistan and USD 83 million for Ethiopia.

World Bank President David Malpass predicted the bank could provide up to USD 160 billion in assistance over the next 15 months.