Corona update: With a huge surge of over 2000 cases in 24 hours India surpasses 37,000 mark; Death toll at 1,218

INDIA: According to the latest update, 2,293 people tested positive for coronavirus in India in 24 hours, taking the total number of cases past the 37,000-mark. This is biggest jump in a single day nationwide since the virus was first reported in January. The Health Ministry data showed that 1,218 people have died due to the virus while a total of 37,336 people have tested positive.

The infection continue to surge in many other states while Kerala reported zero new cases of Coronavirus on Friday for the first time in over one month. Kerala, which was the first state in India to record Coronavirus patients, has seen the slowest rise in numbers in the last month among states with large caseloads. Right now it has 497 confirmed cases, and just three deaths, which too is the lowest among states with a significant number of cases.

Apart from Kerala, there were at least ten states and union territories that did not have a single new case on Friday. Some of these have not added to their tally for several days now. 

Then there are other states, like Chhattisgarh, which have been adding numbers at a very slow pace. Telangana, too has reported only six cases on Friday, taking its tally to 1044.

However, there is no positive sign in the number of new cases from the states that are driving India’s growth of Coronavirus cases. Maharashtra added 1008 new cases on Friday, the first time that any state has crossed the 1000-figure mark in a day. Maharashtra now has 11506 confirmed cases out of which 1879 have recovered from the disease. 

Gujarat numbers jumped by 326 while Delhi showed a rise of 223. Tamil Nadu, added 203 cases on Friday to take its tally to 2526. 

The daily increase of cases in the country crossed 2000 for the first time. As per the latest data the 10 States reporting Maximum Cases & Deaths: 

According to MHA order, the nationwide lockdown has been extended for two weeks noting significant gains from the six-week shutdown in India’s fight to slow the spread of COVID-19. The lockdown will now continue till 17th May starting from 4th May.

However, there will be  considerable relaxations in the districts falling in the Green and Orange Zones. The biggest and most economically-important cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Ahmedabad, all marked red zones, will stay under strict lockdown.