Coronavirus Highlights: Face Masks Compulsory For Stepping Outdoor In Delhi, Says Kejriwal

As the number of Coronavirus cases across the country surges rapidly, the government is mulling to expand the 21-day lockdown. At an all-party meet, PM Modi made it clear that the lockdown "will not be lifted in one go" on April 14.

The number of Coronavirus positive cases in India has soared to 5,200 even as the Centre is mulling to extend the lockdown that will end on April 14. Globally, the number of people infected has surpassed 14 lakh while as more than 82,000 people have died. Also, more than 3 lakh people have recovered from the infection as well globally.

Catch All The Highlights From The Day Here:

10:03PM: 'Don't politicise this virus', says WHO chief after Donald Trump's criticism of China, calling coronavirus the 'Chinese virus'. He also urged US and China to unite to fight COVID-19.

8:42PM: Face masks to be compulsory for people stepping outdoors in Delhi, says Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.  

8:41PM: Govt depts have been asked to stop all expenditures except salary. We need to cut expenses drastically considering current revenue status: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.  

7:45PM: Mumbai reports 106 new COVID-19 cases; tally in the city is now 696: BMC.

7:16PM: Pandemic could provoke 'deepest economic recession... of our lifetimes', says WTO chief. 

7:11PM: Never disclose on social media name or address of those affected by COVID-19 or under quarantine: Govt advisory.

6:57PM: SC directs that COVID-19 tests in approved govt labs or private labs be conducted free of cost.

6:55PM: Do not label any community or area for the spread of COVID-19. Do not target healthcare and sanitation workers or police: Govt advisory on social stigma associated with pandemic.

6:50PM: District collector Rajesh Narvekar on Wednesday issued an order banning the movement of vehicles, except those engaged in essential services, in Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation limits amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

6:46PM: A 65-year-old COVID19 patient passed away in Kalaburagi district, death toll rises to 5 in the state. Total cases are 181, including 28 cured cases: Karnataka Health Department

6:40PM: 42 persons out of the 48 persons who tested positive for COVID19 today in Tamil Nadu are from "single source" event. 679 cases out of the total 738 cases in the state are from "single source" event: Beela Rajesh, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary

6:07PM: Fourteen new COVID-19 positive cases have been detected in Jammu and Kashmir; total cases rise to 139: Officials

6:00 PM: After several COVID-19 cases were found in specific pockets of Ahmedabad city, the civic body has decided to screen all the people living in the old city area, also known as the walled city, as part of its mega drive on Thursday, officials said.

5:35PM: Wearing of masks has been made compulsory in Uttar Pradesh. There can be legal action for not wearing masks: Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said.  

5:23PM: There are 22 hotspots in Agra, 13 in Ghaziabad, 12 in Gautam Budh Nagar, 12 in Kanpur, 4 in Varanasi, 3 in Shamli, 7 in Meerut, 1 in Bareilly, 3 in Bulandshahr, 3 in Basti, 3 in Firozabad, 4 in Saharanpur, 4 in Maharajganj, 1 in Sitapur and 8 big and 4 small in Lucknow: Additional Chief Secretary. 

5:22PM: Eleven people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 343 on Wednesday.  

4:39PM: Till date, a total of 402 people have been discharged. A total of 5,194 positive confirmed case have been reported. In last one day, 773 positive cases were reported. Total 149 deaths have been reported and around 32 people have died since yesterday, says Health Ministry official.   

4:34PM: It is ensured that not only today even in future there will not be any lack of HCQ (Hydroxychloroquine) as and when needed, says Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary of Health Ministry. 

4:32PM: Centre has told states to continue its focus on building hospitals and on surveillance and contact tracing, says Health Ministry official on COVID-19.  

4:27PM: A total of 1,21,271 tests for COVID-19 have been done so far, says ICMR official.

4:25PM: Around 80% of political parties suggested extension of lockdown at Wednesday's meeting with PM, says Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. 

4:18PM: At the all-party meeting today, Congress suggested setting up of task force of union ministers and CMs to propose a way forward to tide over the COVID-19 crisis.

4:14PM: States, district administrations and experts have suggested extension of lockdown to contain spread of COVID-19, says PM Modi. 

4:11PM: Situation akin to 'social emergency'. It has necessitated tough decisions and we must continue to remain vigilant, PM Modi tells leaders on coronavirus.  

4:07PM: Govt's priority is to save each and every life, PM tells political leaders during interaction on COVID-19.

4:00 PM:  Karnataka government favours lifting lockdown in districts free of COVID-19 after April 14 subject to Centre's nod, CM B  S Yediyurappa tells PTI.

3:59 PM:  Karnataka intends to relax liquor sales, stopped during lockdown, after April 14 to increase revenues, CM Yediyurappa tells PTI.

3:42 PM: The government may extend lockdown beyond April 14 to combat coronavirus spread, says Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury after meeting with PM.

3:20 PM:  "PM Modi told us that pre-corona and post-corona life won't be same," said BJD's Pinaki Misra. 

3:19 PM:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that lockdown will not be lifted in one go on April 14, said BJD's Pinaki Misra after PM meet.

3:08 PM: "There is a consensus in the State Cabinet to extend the continuing lockdown in Uttarakhand. The State government has sent the proposal to Central govt regarding it," says Uttarakhand Minister Madan Kaushik.

2:21PM: UP government will completely seal off borders of 15 districts including Lucknow, Noida and Ghaziabad from tonight, according to multiple TV reports. 

2:15PM:  Till date 181 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in Karnataka including five deaths and 28 discharges, state government said.   

1:30 PM: Supreme Court observed and suggested to the Centre that coronavirus tests should be conducted free of cost in the identified private laboratories also. The top court further said that it will pass an appropriate order in this regard.

12:35 PM: Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar held a video conference with officers to review steps for facilitating farming activities during the lockdown. He called for strict compliance of exemptions given to agriculture and allied sectors and directed setting up of control rooms, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

12:15 PM: There are reports of loss of production due to various factors, it may lead to hoarding, black marketing, profiteering. Ensure availability of essential commodities during lockdown as hoarding, black marketing can't be ruled out, MHA tells states

12:14 PM: Odisha Government seals the posh Satya Nagar area in the state capital and declared the locality as a "containment zone" after a person without any recent travel history tested positive for COVID-19.

11:57 AM: 51 new coronavirus positive cases have been reported in Delhi today. The total number of positive cases in the union territory now stands at 576.

11:32 AM: Number of COVID19 cases has reached 1078 in Maharashtra as 60 more people tested positive today. As many as 44 fresh cases have been found under Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area, 9 under Pune Municipal Corporation area, 4 in Nagpur, and 1 each in Ahmednagar, Akola and Buldhana.

10:42 AM: UP government announces Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for the state's police personnel.

10:30 AM: Two more coronavirus cases in Dharavi; tally in Mumbai's slum area rises to 9: Civic official.

10:25 AM: A total of 35 new deaths and 773 new positive cases have been reported in the last 24 hours as India's total number of coronavirus positive cases stand at 5194 and death toll rises to 149, according to Health Ministry

9:26 AM: The number of coronavirus positive cases in Uttar Pradesh has risen to 348 with 193 cases being directly linked to Tablighi Jamaat returnees.

9:24 AM: Tens of thousands of people in Wuhan, the origin point and epicentre for the coronavirus pandemic, began travelling out of the sprawling city on Wednesday as China lifted its 73-day lockdown, even as the number of fresh COVID-19 cases crossed 1,000 in the country and two new deaths heightened concerns of a rebound in infections.

9:22 AM: 15 more COVID-19 cases have been reported from Rajasthan, taking the total count of coronavirus cases in the state to 343, said the State Health Department on Tuesday.

9:20 AM: Two more people died of coronavirus infection in Pune, taking the toll in the Maharashtra district to 10, officials said on Wednesday.

9:17 AM: With 57 fresh cases reported in the state, the number of coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh rose to 313 on Tuesday.

9:15 AM: Railway subsidiary IRCTC which runs three private trains in the country has decided to suspend their services till April 30, officials said on Tuesday.