COVID-19 Crisis: April 18, 2020 | As it happened

Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep S Puri tweeted, "Ministry of Civil Aviation clarifies that so far no decision has been taken to open domestic/ international operations. Airlines are advised to open their bookings only after a decision in this regard has been taken by the government." 

The total sample tested 3,72,123. Total individuals tested 3,54,969. Samples tested today 35,494, said ICMR

43 new coronavirus positive cases reported in Telangana today. The total number of active cases in the state stands at 605. 186 cured/discharged, 18 deaths.

122 COVID-19 positive cases reported in Rajasthan today - 3 in Ajmer, 1 in Banswara, 42 in Bharatpur, 25 in Jaipur, 1 in Jaisalmer, 26 in Jodhpur, 2 in Tonk, 17 in Nagour and 5 in Kota. 4 people died in Jaipur today. The total number of positive cases in the state is 1,351.

No coronavirus deaths reported in any district of Madhya Pradesh today. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the state stands at 1402 - including 69 deaths, 127 discharge). 59 people have cured and discharged in the last 24 hours, said Madhya Pradesh state health department.

Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Degwar sector at about 8:30 PM. Indian Army is retaliating.

Death toll rise to 53 in Gujarat after 5 more deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in the state on Saturday. The total number of active cases in the state stands at 1,376 including 93 cured/discharged, following 104 new cases were reported.

The total number of coronavirus positive cases in Punjab stands at 219, including 31 cured. A total of 16 deaths have been reported in the state.

Nearly 3 lakh rapid antibody test kits have just been airlifted by Air India from Guangzhou in China. Supplies are headed to Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

Naxals set fire to 7 vehicles engaged in road work in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon on Saturday. GN Baghel, Additional Superintendent of Police says, "ITBP personnel have been sent to search the area. Contractor was asked to keep vehicles in a safe place near a police post during lockdown."

The total number of containment zones in Delhi increases to 76 after 8 new areas were included in the list today.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed COVID-19 situation in States and Union Territories and the operations of the 24/7 control room set up at the ministry to coordinate with States and various ministries of Central government. He took the views of the officers and appreciated them for their work.

82 per cent of total 34 patients in Assam were asymptomatic which means they didn't show any symptoms of #COVID19. Most of the patients fall in 50-60 years age bracket. Dhubri, Goalpara, Nalbari, Morigaon and Golaghat have been included in red zone, said Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

49 positive cases reported in the state today. The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 1372. A total of 82 people were discharged today, said C Vijayabaskar, Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family Welfare

Delhi CM Kejriwal briefed media over the coronavirus situation in the national capital. Here are the highlights from his presser:

• 2,274 samples were tested yesterday out of which 68 cases tested positive. In the last 2-3 days, the number of cases has gone down. I hope that the cases will go down even more in the coming days.
• In Jahangirpuri, 26 members of the same family tested positive.
• 7 and a half kg to be distributed to 71 lakh people in Delhi. 
• 67 new cases of coronavirus found in Delhi. 
• There has been a decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi in the last three days, I hope it will reduce further.
• If any doctor, nurse, a sanitation worker at the hospital, lab technician contracts the infection and dies due to it, while attending to the patients of COVID19, then Delhi govt will give a compensation of Rs 1 Crores to their family.
• There are other people too who are looking after Corona patients-Police, Civil Defence volunteers, teachers. If anyone contracts Coronavirus and dies due to it, while looking after Corona patients, then it will be extended to all such people. Their families will be given Rs 1 Cr.

Maharashtra government issues addendum in yesterday's order and also exempts Print media from lockdown from 20th April onwards. Door to door delivery of newspapers and magazines to remain prohibited during the lockdown in the light of coronavirus pandemic.

1758 cases have been registered and 7220 people arrested in connection with violation of Coronavirus Lockdown in Uttarakhand so far

Health Ministry is briefing media on the coronavirus situation in India. Here are the highlights from the presser:

• Foreigners stranded in India due to lockdown will be given relief in the visa.
• 1992 people recovered, 480 fatalities so far. With 991 new COVID-19 cases, 14378 total cases in India. 43 deaths in the last 24 hours.
• To any queries about coronavirus, people may call toll-free number 112.
• 29.8 percent COVID-19 cases in India linked to Tablighi Jamaat.
• Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh have the highest percent of Jamaat related coronavirus cases.
• The mortality rate in our country is around 3.3%. An age-wise analysis will tell you that 14.4 % death has been reported in the age group of 0-45 yrs. Between 45-60 yrs it is 10.3%, between 60-75 yrs it is 33.1% & for 75 yrs and above it is 42.2%.
• Of 14,378 positive COVID-19 cases, 4,291 linked to Tablighi Jamaat congregation.
• A positive trend has been noted in 47 districts across 23 states. No positive cases has been reported in the last 28 days in Mahe of Puducherry, and Kodagu of Karnataka.

• Data suggests UK "could be at or near" the peak for new infections
• Number of hospital admissions in France reported to be declining

2 new COVID-19 positive cases reported in Haridwar district; the total number of positive cases in the State rise to 42

Air India B-787 aircraft has left for Guangzhou, China from Delhi to pick up medical supplies

At least 20 Indian Navy sailors at INS Angre test positive for coronavirus. 25 sailors have been tested so far.

More than 160 'recovered' patients in South Korea have tested positive a second time for coronavirus. All of them were twice tested negative, before being 'cleared' of the virus.

Canada reports 1,821 new cases of coronavirus and 115 new deaths. A total of 31,927 cases and 1,310 deaths.

According to the Ministry of Health Affairs, 991 new COVID-19 cases and 43 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours. India's total number of COVID-19 cases crosses the 14,000 mark; currently at 14,378 including 11,906 active cases, 1992 cured/discharged/migrated and 480 deaths.

• 7,358 new cases in last 24 hours
• 573,223 tested so far
• 229,642 tested positive
• 17,316 hospitalized
• 12,822 deaths
• 127,352 cases in New York City

Watch Swami Ramdev's Yoga guru lessons to fight coronavirus: 

• Italy's number of patients in ICUs continues to drop  
• Germany says the pandemic is "under control" in the county
• EU to vote on healthcare relief measures
• Experts say Spanish schools could reopen in September
• UK extends lockdown by three weeks

• New York City cancels all non-essential events through May
• Texas closes school for the remainder of the year
• Protests against public health measures continue in some states
• Ontario records highest daily increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths 
• BC considers lifting some restrictions in mid-May
• Prime Minister Trudeau announces $1.7 billion in funding to clean up orphan and inactive wells in western Canada

• Texas closes schools until the end of the academic year
• British Columbia anticipates lifting some restrictions in May
• Africa could see 300,000 deaths this year in best-case scenario, UN says
• China revises Wuhan death toll, marking a 50% increase
• Chile to issue “immunity cards” for those who have recovered
• Japan declares nationwide state of emergency
• US death toll exceeds 30,000